Wednesday, December 01, 1999
Week holds title hopes for NKU
Volleyball, soccer teams near national crowns
BY NEIL SCHMIDT
The Cincinnati Enquirer
It is a measure of how far Northern Kentucky University's athletics have come that the biggest week in school history has nothing to do with its celebrated basketball programs.
The volleyball and women's soccer teams own the spotlight, both trying this week to deliver the school's first na tional championship.
“It's an exciting time,” volleyball coach Mary Biermann said. “It's almost too bad we're doing this at the same time; we can't go root for each other.”
The seventh-ranked soccer team (22-2) plays No.1 Franklin Pierce (18-1) in a national semifinal at 11a.m. Thursday in Miami Shores, Fla. The second-ranked volleyball team (32-1) opens play in the Elite Eight in Battle Creek, Mich., with a 7:30p.m. Thursday quarterfinal against No.12 North Alabama (35-6).
NKU could play for national titles in both sports Saturday.
The volleyball team appears the more likely champion. It graduated just one player from its Elite Eight team of last season and owns a 25-match winning streak.
“Our team is more mature and experienced,” Biermann said. “Our attitude will be much different. It won't be "happy to be here;' it's going to be, "Let's get some work done.'”
Junior middle hitter Jessica Buroker is a first-team All-American, senior outside hitter Jenny Jeremiah (Seton) a second-teamer. Junior setter Bobbi Casey (St.Henry) has excelled in her first season as a starter.
“It was tremendously difficult this year because of injuries and illness,” Biermann said. “But this team had one goal all year — to get back here — and the team was united on that.”
NKU's soccer program is in its third year, with just two classes of scholarship players, so 14 of its 17 players are freshmen or sophomores.
“This is an opportunity, and we've got to take advantage of it,” coach Bob Sheehan said. “You never know if you'll get another one.”
NKU's stars are three sophomores: Betsy Moore (McAuley), the Great Lakes Valley Conference Player of the Year with 21 goals and 14 assists; goalie Lauren Piening (Anderson), with 16 shutouts; and Tricia Ruark (Seton), with 14 goals and eight assists.
NKU's youth makes it an underdog. Franklin Pierce has four players from Finland, two from Holland and one from Sweden, many of them older than traditional college students.
“There's four teams left in the country,” Sheehan said. “We've put ourselves in position where anything can happen now.”
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