Huskers Maul Tigers

<?xml:namespace prefix="st1" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"?>Columbia, Mo. ? The Nebraska soccer team passed several tests under the lights of the Audrey J. Walton Soccer Field in Columbia, Mo., on Friday night, running to 2-0 win over Missouri in the Huskers' Big 12 and road opener.<?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"?>

 

The win extended Nebraska’s 11-year unbeaten streak in Big 12 openers, while improving NU’s overall record to 6-1-2 on the season.  Missouri fell to 7-2-0 with its second straight loss.

 

Sophomore goalkeeper Jamie Klages led Nebraska to its fourth shutout of the year, punching, diving and grabbing her way to a season-best seven saves despite facing an arsenal of solid scoring attempts by Missouri. It was the second straight shutout by the Huskers.

 

Nebraska came out of the chute ready to play, putting a pair of shots on goal within the first three minutes of the game.  NU’s pressure on the net rattled the Missouri defense early, forcing an own goal just 3:14 in the game.  Senior Brittany Timko, the reigning two-time Big 12 Player of the Year, launched a cross from the left side of the field that was bobbled by MU goalkeeper Mallory Forst.  Nebraska sophomore Jessie Goodell continued to put pressure on Forst and the Tiger defense in front of the net, resulting in Missouri slipping the ball past Forst for its first own goal of the season.

 

MU nearly made up for its mistake 10 minutes later as the Tigers’ Michelle Collins made a perfect cross through the Nebraska box to find freshman Breanna Thornton.  With help from her defense, Klages was able to come out and intercept the ball, breaking up the scoring attempt for MU.

 

The Tigers continued to test Klages and the Nebraska defense throughout the first half, earning four corner kicks, while holding the Huskers without a corner. 

 

But the Huskers soon proved they didn’t need to rely on set plays to put points on the board, as Timko struck on a breakaway goal at 27:03.  The 5-7 forward controlled a headed ball and zipped past the Tiger defenders to place a shot just beyond Forst into the right side of the net.  The goal was Timko’s seventh on the year and gave her a point in her 12th consecutive game, tying the Nebraska record for consecutive games with points, originally set by Kim Engesser in 1997.

 

Missouri tried to respond as Elyse Nikonchuk fired a shot at Klages from the 18 that the 5-11 NU keeper used a diving save to push out of bounds.  The Tigers threatened again with just three minutes left in the half as freshman Bianca Pritchett found an open net shot with Klages on the ground.  Fortunately, Husker defenders Lindsay Poehling and Carly Peetz were able to contain Pritchett long enough for Klages to regain her position and collect the loose ball.

 

At the half, Nebraska had maintained its 2-0 lead, while enjoying a 3-2 shot-on-goal advantage with three saves from Klages.

 

The Coronado, Calif., keeper kept it going in the second half, as Klages put together a string of amazing saves including a frantic set in the 50th minute.  A breakdown in the NU defense put Klages one-on-one with several Tiger strikers who ripped off a barrage of shots.  Klages knocked down a close-range ball from Nikonchuk, which was gathered up and fired back by freshman Kristin Andrighetto for yet another Klages save to maintain Nebraska’s shutout. 

 

Klages again faced intense pressure in the 89th minute as Missouri pulled her out of the net on the left side before crossing the ball through to Nikonchuk, who fortunately for the Huskers was unable to finish the goal.

 

NU's best opportunities of the second half came in the 83rd minute when sophomore Aysha Jamani dribbled through three Tiger defenders inside the 18 to rip a right-footed shot that sailed just left of the goal.  Nebraska was awarded a corner kick on the play with Timko finding freshman defender Anna Caniglia in the middle of the pack for a header that skipped just over the crossbar.  

 

Both teams played an exciting and defensively-charged remaining 17 minutes that ended in the 2-0 win for Nebraska.

 

The Huskers remain on the road to finish out the weekend as they continue Big 12 play against Iowa State with a 1 p.m. kickoff in Ames on Sunday.