By Dave Schutte
Enquirer contributor

Just reaching the Division II final four won't be good enough this season for Becky Schnieders, a 2000 Seton graduate and a junior defender for the Northern Kentucky University women's soccer team.

"I've experienced playing in the national championship tournament the past two years," Schnieders said. "It's exciting but not good enough. This year we want to win it.''

But Schnieders and her NKU teammates must first get past Nebraska-Omaha (20-0), the Norse's quarterfinal opponent Saturday at the Town & Country Soccer Complex in Wilder. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m.

Both NKU and Nebraska-Omaha have outstanding defenses, which Norse coach Bob Sheehan said probably will determine which team advances to the final four in Virginia Beech.

Nebraska-Omaha has scored 70 goals this season and allowed only seven. It has 14 shutouts, including 12 by freshman goalie Amy Price.

"The rumor is that their goalie (Price) can accurately kick the ball 80 yards in the air to the forwards," Sheehan said.

"They're very strong on defense and we haven't played a team like this. They have incredible size across the back and they're very athletic"

In addition to Price, the Nebraska team's defenders are freshmen Megan Pile and Becca Fritz and sophomore Rachel Tushner.

NKU's defense has 13 shutouts and has given up 10 goals - only one in the past six games.

Junior Megan Zalla (Notre Dame) will be in goal for the Norse. Schnieders, Robyn Withers (Seton), Ashley McGuffey (Harrison)and Katie Hanck (Fairfield) round out the starting defenders.

"Robyn and I have played together for a long time, which is important on defense," Schnieders said. "Communicating is important and we talk a lot back there."

Backup sophomore defender Bobbi Meister, a three-sport standout at Northwest High School, is concerned about Omaha's offense.

"They play the North Carolina-style game," Meister said. "By that I mean the keeper and defenders come out to near midfield and distribute the ball to the forwards.''

Omaha's leading scorer is Stephanie Kruse, who has 21 goals and five assists; junior Stephanie Kirby has six goals and a team-high 11 assists.

NKU's offense is led by Stephanie Sandfoss (Highlands), the Great Lakes Valley Conference leading scorer with 15 goals. She also has eight assists.

Other NKU scoring threats are Bessie Black (Scott) with eight goals and nine assists and Kristen Noakes (Dixie Heights) with 11 goals and one assist.

Aisling Callaghan, who is from Dublin, Ireland, has seven goals and six assists.

"The pressure will be on our defense but we've been here before,'' Schnieders said. "If their goalie can kick the ball like we think, it's our job to shut down the forwards.''

IF NKU wins, it will be the Norse's fourth consecutive trip to the final four.