Huskers Power Past Cowgirls

Lincoln - The <?xml:namespace prefix="st1" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"?>Nebraska soccer team built leads of 2-0 and 3-1 before holding on for a 3-2 victory over OklahomaState on a brisk and breezy day at the Nebraska Soccer Field Sunday.<?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"?>

 

Sophomore Jessie Bruch, freshman Selenia Iacchelli and senior Sasha Andrews all scored goals for NU, with the final two coming off corner kicks. Junior Brittany Timko, who had a hand in all five of the Huskers’ goals on the weekend, added three assists to tie her career high.

 

Timko now has 17 assists on the season, tying Jenny Benson's school record, set in 1999. Timko's final assist proved to be the game-winning assist giving her seven on the season and 13 in her career. Her seven game-winning assists this season are a new school record, eclipsing the record she set last season, and her 13 career game-winning assists are tied with Meghan Anderson for first in school history.

 

The win earned Nebraska three points in the Big 12 Conference standings and moved the Huskers (11-5-1 overall and 5-2-1 in the Big 12) into a four-way tie for third place in the conference. Nebraska still controls its own destiny, and would claim at least a share of the Big 12 regular-season title by closing out the conference regular season with a pair of victories next weekend.

 

Oklahoma State fell to 10-5-3 overall and 3-5-1 in league play with the loss.

 

The Huskers opened the game with several quality chances in the first 20 minutes. The first chance came in the eighth minute when Timko sent in a free kick that was punched clear by OSU goalkeeper Breanna Truelove.

In the 11th minute, freshman Aysha Jamani made a nice run and sent in a cross that found the head of fellow freshman Lauren Isenhower, but her shot could not find the back of the net. Two minutes later, Andrews got her head on a Timko corner kick and the ball was loose in the box where several point-blank attempts by Nebraska were immediately blocked by the Cowgirl defense.

 

The best chances in the half before the Huskers finally converted came in a 1:44 stretch midway through the period. At 27:49, a Timko corner kick eventually found senior Vern Fitzgerald, who ripped a shot from the center of the box that was blocked to win another NU corner kick.

 

On the second attempt, Bruch headed Timko’s corner on goal and had Truelove beaten, but Lauren Coswell leaped to clear the ball with a header before it crossed the end line.

 

At 26:05, Iacchelli sent a bending shot from 20 yards that curved toward goal and bounced off the crossbar.

 

Bruch put the Huskers up 1-0 when she took a free kick from Timko in the box and flipped a shot over her head with her back to the goal to beat Truelove.

 

After Bruch’s goal, NU nearly added a second with 8:44 left in the half. Iacchelli drew a hard foul at the corner of the box and Timko’s ensuing free kick sailed just inches over the crossbar.

 

In the second half, the Huskers appeared to take control of the game when Iacchelli scored at 53:16. Timko’s corner kick found Fitzgerald in the box, who promptly played the ball to Iacchelli for the finish at the far post.

 

Oklahoma State answered back in the 65th minute when Niccole Grimaldi finished a cross from Johanna Loistl.

 

With the lead cut to 2-1, the Huskers again connected on a corner kick at 72:41 to go back in front by two goals. This time Timko’s kick found Andrews, who won a tough mid-air battle to head the ball past OSU goalkeeper Jeanne Rankin.

 

Up 3-1, NU committed a foul deep in its own territory with less than six minutes remaining. The Cowgirls took advantage of the opportunity when Grimaldi found Yolando Odenyo at the far post for the goal, which cut the Huskers' lead to 3-2. OSU was unable to mount any serious threats in the final five minutes of play.

 

For the game, NU outshot OSU, 22-11, including a 7-5 advantage in shots on goal. The Huskers also won five corner kicks, while holding the Cowgirls without a single corner kick.

 

In net for NU, freshman goalkeeper Jamie Klages made three saves, while allowing two goals. Truelove allowed one goal and did not record a save in 43:19, while Rankin made three saves and allowed two goals the rest of the way.

 

Timko’s three assists gave her seven points on the weekend and also moved her into sole possession of third place on the NU chart with seven career multi-assist games.

 

Nebraska plays host to IowaState next Friday at the Nebraska Soccer Field on Senior Day. The Huskers’ senior class will be recognized before the final regular-season home game of the season. Kickoff between the Cyclones and Huskers, who are tied with 16 points in the Big 12 race, is set for 4 p.m.

 

Following the match with ISU, Nebraska will travel to Lubbock, Texas, to face Texas Tech on Sunday at Noon, in a makeup game after the team's scheduled Sept. 25 meeting was postponed by Hurricane Rita.