NU Makes Eighth Straight NCAA Appearance

Lincoln ? The <?xml:namespace prefix="st1" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"?>Nebraska soccer team will travel to Portland, Ore., to take on the Washington Huskies in its eighth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance on Friday.<?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"?>

 

The Huskers are 12-7-1 on the season and have been to seven straight NCAA Sweet 16s. Nebraska will face Washington in the first round of the tournament. The Huskies are 11-6-3 on the season. The winner will advance to face Denver or defending national champion and eighth-seeded Portland.

 

“I think it is a tough bracket,” Coach John Walker said. “We expected to be traveling and I think a big part is geography. We are a team that can get shipped anywhere. Last year we were sent to the east coast and this year we go to the west coast. The way to look at it is that every team in the tournament is a good team. We are pleased to still be playing and we just have to prepare for that first game.”

 

NU is coming off a semifinal loss to Missouri in the Big 12 Tournament and Washington most recently defeated Arizona 3-0 on Sunday to wrap up the Pac-10 Conference regular-season schedule.

 

A conference record eight teams from the Big 12 Conference received NCAA Tournament berths, including Colorado, Texas, Texas A&M, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State. Previous to this year the most Big 12 teams to make it to NCAA postseason play was four.

 

Missouri and Texas A&M were the only two conference teams to be awarded home sites for the first and second rounds of the tournament.

 

In 2002 Nebraska made it to the round of 16 before taking a 3-2 loss to eventual national runner-up Santa Clara.

 

The 2003 Women’s College Cup will take place Dec. 5 and 7 in Cary, N.C.