---Junior Tony Ray scores the first of his three goals Friday night. Prior to the Ashland contest, the Louisville native had just four career goals at NKU.

By Mike Anderson, NKU Sports Information

WILDER, Ky – The Northern Kentucky University men’s soccer team put on a nearly-unparalleled offensive display as the Norse defeated Ashland, 8-2, in non-conference play.

NKU, ranked No. 2 in the latest NCAA Division II poll, scored early and often. The Norse offense appeared to be unstoppable at times against Ashland.

Junior Tony Ray got the Norse going in the third minute, scoring off a loose ball near the 18-yard-box for the early advantage. When he scored again in the fifth minute, the table was set for the Norse to have a huge offensive night.

Freshman Steven Beattie got into the mix in the 10th minute, taking a quick centering pass from Ray and depositing it into the netting for a three-goal advantage.

Ray completed his hat trick with a hard shot to the top left corner off a pass from Eric Ashworth in the 16th minute. The goal was his fifth of the season.

As Ray took to the bench to make way for his teammates, Beattie stepped in to score the game’s next two goals. His second of the match came in the 28th minute off a pass from Chad Cook. Beattie turned and fired a shot home to make it a 5-0 score. Beattie got his own hat trick just three minutes later, depositing a pass from Chris Thompson into the twine for his fourth tally of the season.

Freshman Matthew Lavric, a graduate of Gahanna-Lincoln High School, got the reserves in the mix with his first collegiate goal off a long free kick from Tom Shriner. Lavric took the high bouncr and flicked it just out of the reach of goalkeeper Ryan Cruise for the 7-0 halftime advantage.

The second half brought Ashland’s first goal of the match, scored by Seth Janitzki on a diagonal shot toward the left post to bring the margin to six. Kyle Roberts answered just over a minute later with a marker of his own, his first of the season. Ashland’s Max Hiltner added a penalty kick in the
78th minute to make the final score.

Andy Ortman got the win in net for the Norse without facing a shot on goal. Junior Keith Kelly, making his first appearance since 2005, took the net for the second half. While defensive regulars Dan Impellizzeri and Andy Bacon took the second half off, goalkeeper Jeremy Curington suited up as a
defender for the match’s final 30 minutes.

The eight goals scored by NKU were the most since 1997, when the Norse defeated Kentucky Wesleyan by a 9-1 final. The single-game team record still stands at 13, set in 1994 against St. Meinrad (Ind.).

NKU (7-0) returns to conference play Sunday afternoon when it hosts Bellarmine.

BOX SCORE