HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. - The IU Indy men's soccer team put together a gritty defensive showing on the road but couldn't find the finishing touch in a 2–0 setback to Northern Kentucky on Saturday evening (Oct. 18) at NKU Soccer Stadium.
The Jaguars (4-7-3, 1-4-1 Horizon League) frustrated the Norse attack throughout much of the opening half, limiting the hosts to just four shots before the break. IU Indy generated a handful of quality looks themselves, including early efforts from Youri Keijser and Jose Antonio Herrera, with Herrera nearly putting the Jags on the board in the 18th minute when his strike caromed off the right post.
The two sides entered the locker room in a scoreless deadlock, but the match tilted in NKU's favor after the restart. The Norse finally broke through in the 56th minute when Caleb Frakes cleaned up a cross from Joshua Cline for the eventual game-winner. IU Indy looked to respond with a renewed sense of urgency, as Marcus Danh-Khoa Nguyen and Keijser each pushed the pace in the attacking third, though the final ball continued to elude the visitors.
NKU doubled its advantage in the 70th minute when Jason Purks converted from close range to put the match out of reach. Despite continued energy from the Jaguar midfield, the Norse defense kept IU Indy from recording a shot on target down the stretch.
In total, IU Indy finished with seven shots and four corner kicks, while NKU tallied eight shots and scored on both of its chances on frame. Senior goalkeeper Cameron Maung-Maung played all 90 minutes in goal for the Jaguars, organizing a back line anchored by Jago Thompson-Roberts, Brady Horn and Noah Kummrow.
With the defeat, the Jaguars slipped to 1-4-1 in Horizon League play while NKU improved to 2-2-2 in league action. IU Indy will look to rebound when it returns home to Michael A. Carroll Stadium next Saturday (Oct. 25) to host Detroit Mercy in another key conference matchup. The Jaguars will honor their seniors that day ahead of the 5:00 p.m. kickoff. That contest will be broadcast on ESPN+.
