Timko's Hat Trick Tops North Texas

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<?xml:namespace prefix="st1" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"?>Lincoln ? Senior Brittany Timko erupted for the fourth hat trick of her career to lead the Nebraska soccer team to a 3-2 win over North Texas in front of 537 fans at the Nebraska Soccer Field on Friday.

With the victory Nebraska remained unbeaten on the season and improved to 2-0-2, while Timko moved within just one hat trick of tying Nebraska’s all-time career record of five set by Kim Engesser from 1997 to 1998.  Timko also took over Nebraska season goal-scoring lead with her first three goals of the year.

 

In a landmark evening for the Coquitlam, British Columbia native, Timko reached the 100-point mark as her three goals added six points to her career total of 103.  She is now one point from tying Kari Uppinghouse for fifth all-time in points, and is one of just six Huskers ever to notch 100 points or more in their careers.

 

The Huskers enjoyed a 15-9 shot differential over the Mean Green in the win, including 10 shots in the first half alone.  Timko led Nebraska with five shots, all of which were on goal, followed by junior Jessie Bruch with four.

 

Several freshmen continued to make an impact for the Huskers, including Anna Caniglia, Brittney Lanier and Carly Peetz, all of whom started the game.  Peetz, along with senior defender Tanya Dennis, has played every minute thus far in Nebraska’s regular-season contests.

 

Sophomore goalkeeper Jamie Klages earned her second win of the season with a pair of saves against North Texas.  Klages is now 2-0-2 for the season and 13-7-3 in her career. 

 

Timko tore out of the gate early in the contest, earning her first goal of the season as she bent a corner kick that banked in off the far post to give the Huskers a 1-0 advantage less than four minutes into the game.  Her shot was one of five for Nebraska in the first 10 minutes of play as the Huskers controlled the game tempo from the start.

 

Timko struck again at 19:53 with a rebound of a deflected shot from sophomore Aysha Jamani, who was credited with the assist.  Timko snuck the second attempt past North Texas goalkeeper Kandice Ellis to put the Huskers up 2-0, the biggest lead they have held this season.

 

The Mean Green came back with a goal of their own less than three minutes later at 22:01 when sophomore Kelli Lunsford fired a shot past Nebraska goalkeeper Jamie Klages from 18 yards out.  Lunsford’s goal was her first of the season and the only shot on goal for North Texas in the first half.

 

With just under five minutes left in the first period, Nebraska welcomed a new face back onto the pitch as sophomore Ali Lokanc gave Jamani a break.  This is the first time Lokanc has seen game time after suffering a broken leg early in the 2005 season.

 

North Texas continued to knock at Nebraska’s door in the second half as senior Heather Hutyra netted her second goal of the season to tie the game at 59:40.  Hutyra launched a hard shot from nearly 20 yards out that slipped through Klages’ gloves to even the score at 2-2.

 

But it seemed no one could stop Timko, who earned the fourth hat trick of her career with her third goal of the contest at 63:08.  Jamani earned her second assist of the match as she sailed a cross through several North Texas defenders to find Timko in front of the net for the goal.  This is the fifth time in the last two seasons that Jamani and Timko have combined for a goal after Timko added an assist on one of Jamani’s two goals last weekend.

 

Nebraska and North Texas were the second game in a two contest schedule to kick off the first day of the 2006 Nebraska adidas Invitational.  USC topped Drake 3-0 in the afternoon’s first match.  The Trojans (3-1-1) will now face North Texas (2-1-1) at 11 a.m. on Sunday at the Nebraska Soccer Field, followed by a 1 p.m. kickoff between Nebraska (2-0-2) and Drake (2-2-1).