Huskers Face Two Top-25 Teams in Weekend Series

Following a pair of Big 12 wins this past weekend, Nebraska (8-3-3, 3-2-1 Big 12) heads into its most challenging weekend of the season, as the Huskers take on No. 8 Texas A&M  (10-3-1, 6-0-0) and No. 14 Texas (10-3-1, 4-1-1) this Friday and Sunday.  The Huskers head to College Station on Friday for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff against the the Aggies before returning to Lincoln on Sunday for a 1 p.m. start against the Longhorns.

The weekend is chalk full of great fan experiences, including a free video stream of the action between A&M and NU on Friday available on Huskers.com.  Fans can then come out to the Nebraska Soccer Field on Sunday to help the Huskers honor their senior class with a special Senior Day celebration prior to kickoff.

Nebraska enters this weekend's competition on a two-game winning streak after notching comeback wins over Baylor, 2-1 and Texas Tech, 2-1.  The Huskers continued to blossom offensively in both games, combining for 58 shots and 24 corner kicks on the weekend, while holding their opponents to just 18 shots and three corners.

Senior Brittany Timko produced three goals and one assist on the weekend, including both game-tying goals for the Huskers.  Timko also notched the game-winner over Texas Tech, while serving up an assist on the game-winner against Baylor.

Nebraska battled back from one-goal deficits in both games, with Timko netting clutch goals at 80:13 and 54:41 to tie each contest.  The Huskers needed just 51 seconds of overtime with Baylor to grab the win, with Timko serving up a corner kick that found freshman Carly Peetz who connected with sophomore Aysha Jamani for the winning score.  The play resulted in the quickest overtime goal in Nebraska history.

The Huskers were down a first-half goal to the Red Raiders on Sunday, but Timko netted a pair of goals in the second half to pull out the win.  With three goals on the weekend, the 5-7 forward reached 41 goals and 41 assists in her career, making her just the second player in Nebraska history to reach the 40/40 mark. 

Texas A&M enters Friday's match on a seven-game winning streak including a perfect 6-0-0 record to lead the Big 12.  The Aggies present an explosive offensive front, with A&M leading the Big 12 in shots (307), points (122), goals (41) and assists (40).  Defensively, A&M has allowed just 11 goals on the year, including five shutouts. 

Like Nebraska, Texas (10-3-1, 4-1-1 Big 12) goes into the weekend on a two-game winning streak after posting wins over Kansas, 1-0 and Colorado, 2-1.  Also like the Huskers, the Longhorns have lost just three games this season, none by more than a single goal.

Scouting Texas A&M (10-3-1, 6-0-0 Big 12)
After dropping three contests to top-25 teams early in the non-conference season, Texas A&M has gone on a seven-game winning streak that includes an unbeaten 6-0-0 record in the Big 12.

The Aggies lead the Big 12 in every offensive statistical category, averaging almost three goals a game, including scoring at least three goals on eight occasions this season.  Senior Suzzette Devloo leads the charge with eight goals, while fellow senior Ashlee Pistorius has added four goals and four assists.  Pistorius joins NU's Brittany Timko as the only two players in the Big 12 selected to the Hermann Award Watch List this season.

Standout freshman Kristin Arnold has started 13 games in goal for the Aggies this season. Arnold owns a goals-against average of 0.75, while allowing just nine goals with 48 saves this season on the year.

Husker History vs. Texas A&M
The Huskers have built their longest relationship in the Big 12 with Texas A&M.  In 21 games, Nebraska owns a 13-8-0 record, but three of those eight losses have come in the last three consecutive meetings. 

A&M started its winning streak against the Huskers in 2004 with a 2-1 win in Lincoln before posting a 4-0 shutout over NU in College Station last year.  The Aggies eliminated Nebraska from the 2005 Big 12 Tournament with a 4-2 win.

Ashlee Pistorius and Kat Krambeer combined for seven of A&M's eight goals between the two contests last season, with Krambeer notching a hat trick against the Huskers in their first meeting on Oct. 9, 2005.

Together, Nebraska and Texas A&M have combined to win 16 of the possible 20 Big 12 regular season and tournament titles, with each teams taking eight crowns.

Scouting Texas (10-3-1, 4-1-1 Big 12) 
While Texas hasn't found the statistical success of Texas A&M and Nebraska, it has still managed to pull out 10 wins on the year.  The Longhorns have posted Big 12 wins over Baylor, Texas Tech, Kansas and Colorado, while suffering a loss to Oklahoma State and a tie with Oklahoma.  Texas is ranked third in the Big 12, just one spot ahead of the Huskers.

Like Nebraska, Texas is accustomed to tight matches, with just three of its games being decided by more than one goal this season.  The Longhorns have netted 27 goals on the year, while holding opponents to just 14.

Leading the Texas offense is junior Kelsey Carpenter, whose nine goals and 21 points rank second in the Big 12 behind Nebraska's Brittany Timko.  Although Carpenter failed to score a goal in either of UT's wins over Kansas and Colorado, she did add a pair of assists on the weekend.  Carpenter was also responsible for UT's lone goal to top the Huskers 1-0 in 2005.

In goal for the Longhorns is sophomore Dianna Pfenninger who in 13 games has managed a goals-against average of 1.04, while allowing 14 goals and making 35 saves.

Husker History vs. Texas
While Nebraska enjoys an 8-6-0 series edge over Texas, the last two meetings between the programs have resulted in a pair of Longhorn wins.  Texas shut out the Huskers, 2-0, to eliminate Nebraska from the Big 12 Tournament in 2004 before grabbing a 1-0 overtime win over NU last season.

Kelsey Carpenter snuck in Texas' lone goal in the 2005 match in the sixth minute of overtime.  After Nebraska goalkeeper Jamie Klages produced a shut out in regulation, Carpenter attempted to cross a ball in the box at 96:36, which instead slipped into the net to end the game.   

Timko on the Big 12 All-Time Charts
Single-Season
Assists: 1st (21, 2005)
Assists Per Game: 1st (0.91, 2005)

Career
Points Per Game: 6th (1.86)
Assists: 4th (41)
Assists Per Game: 3rd (0.62)

Timko Leads High Powered Offense
Nebraska broke out offensively last weekend in a pair of 2-1 victories over Baylor and Texas Tech. Against Baylor on Friday, the Huskers took a then season-high 28 shots, including 10 on goal. NU topped that effort by firing a season-high 30 shots against Texas Tech on Sunday.

On the weekend, Nebraska fired 58 shots, including 19 on goal. The Huskers also earned a total of 24 corner kicks in the two games, while holding the Bears and Red Raiders to only three.

Individually, senior Brittany Timko took a team-high 16 shots, just two fewer than the Texas Tech and Baylor squads combined. Timko scored three goals and added an assist over the weekend, contributing to each of the Huskers’ four goals. Sophomore Aysha Jamani tallied NU’s other goal, while junior Jessie Bruch made a successful return to the lineup by recording a career-high two assists against the Red Raiders.

Coming from Behind
Although no team prefers to be down a goal, Nebraska has proven its capable of coming back this season. Last weekend, the Huskers trailed both Baylor and Texas Tech, 1-0, at halftime. In both games, the Huskers rallied to earn the victory. NU has trailed by one goal in each of its last three games, posting a 2-1 record in that stretch.

Against Baylor on Friday, the Huskers used a pair of late goals to earn the victory. Senior Brittany Timko scored the equalizer in the 81st minute, before sophomore Aysha Jamani provided the game-winner just 51 seconds into the first overtime period. On Sunday against Texas Tech, Timko notched goals in the 55th and 79th minutes to propel the Huskers to the 2-1 win.

Huskers Score Fastest Overtime Goal
Sophomore Aysha Jamani ripped a shot into the back of the net just 51 seconds into the first overtime period last Friday to lift the Huskers to a 2-1 victory over Baylor. Jamani’s goal marked the fastest overtime goal in school history, eclipsing the previous record of 55 seconds by Christine Latham against Texas on Nov. 8, 2002.

Bruch Makes Successful Return
Junior Jessie Bruch made a successful return to the lineup over the weekend after missing the previous two matches. Bruch earned a start in both contests last weekend and played a key role in the midfield, allowing the Huskers to dominate possession in both matches.

Against Texas Tech on Sunday, Bruch assisted on both of senior Brittany Timko’s two second half goals that allowed the Huskers to erase a 1-0 halftime deficit and earn a 2-1 win. Bruch’s two assists came just 23:30 apart. In her previous 54 games, Bruch had recorded a total of two assists.

Timko Leads Huskers
Senior Brittany Timko leads the team with 11 goals and six assists. Timko owns a seven-goal lead over junior Jessie Bruch and a two-assist lead over sophomore Aysha Jamani for the team highs in those cateogires. Timko appears poised to lead the team in both goals and assists for a third straight season.

Timko led NU 15 goals and 13 assists in her first full season at Nebraska in 2004 and again led the team with 11 goals and a Big-12 record 21 assists last year. Before Timko arrived in Lincoln, no player in school history had ever led the team in both goals and assists in the same season.

Timko has also led the team in points the previous two seasons and again leads the team with 28 points this year, as she has 18 more points than Jamani. Timko appears headed to join fellow Canadian All-American Christine Latham as the only Huskers in school history to lead NU in points in three consecutive seasons.

National Honor for Timko
Senior Brittany Timko was honored on Monday as the Top Drawer Soccer National Player of the Week. The award followed an outstanding weekend for Timko that included three goals and one assist to lead the Huskers to league wins over Baylor and Texas Tech.  Timko produced the game-tying goal in both matches, while tacking on the game-winning goal against the Red Raiders and the game-winning assist against the Bears.

Timko's big weekend also gained her some ground in the national polls as she improved to fifth in points per game (2.15) and seventh in goals per game (0.85).

Corner Kickin'
Nebraska, which has historically enjoyed a tremendous advantage in corner kicks, is out-cornering teams by an impressive margin.

In 14 games, the Huskers have earned 117 corner kicks to just 51 by their opponents, a testament to the endline work by both the NU offense and defense.  On Sept. 15 alone, Nebraska took a season-best 16 corners, which set a Nebraska Soccer Field record.  The previous record of 15 was set against UAB on Aug. 28, 2005.

Nebraska leads the Big 12 Conference in corner kicks, while Texas A&M ranks second with 112.  The two teams face off Friday in College Station, Texas,.

Timko Leads Big 12
For all that Brittany Timko has accomplished over her illustrious career, the senior forward has never led the Big 12 Conference in points. In fact, Timko has only led the league in one category ever - assists, when she recorded a Big 12-record 21 assists last season.

Despite missing a game this season, Timko leads the league with 28 points. Kelsey Carpenter of Texas ranks second with 21 points. If Timko is able to lead the Big 12 in points, she would become the fifth Husker to do so and the first since Christine Latham in 2001.

Timko also leads the Big 12 in points per game (2.15), goals (11) and goals per game (0.85), while ranking second in assists (6).

Starting Fast
NU has also enjoys a 135-57 advantage in shots in the opening period, while that margin shrinks to an 115-93 NU advantage in the second half. Nebraska has also won 57 corner kicks in the first period, while limiting opponents to 15.

While explosive first half play continues to be a calling card for the Huskers, much of Nebraska's recent success has come as a direct result of second half persistence.  Against Baylor and Texas Tech, the Huskers scored three of their four goals in the second period, while enjoying a 29-12 margin in shots.

Timko Reaches 40/40
Senior Brittany Timko produced three goals and one assist on this past weekend.  With her performance, Timko increased her career totals to 41 goals and 41 assists.

Timko joins Meghan Anderson (48 goals, 50 assists) as the only players in school history to record both 40 goals and 40 assists in a career. Timko also joins Anderson as the only players in the 11-year history of the Big 12 Conference to join the 40/40 club, as well as becoming just the 35th player in NCAA history and only the third player to play her entire career in the 21st century to reach the marks.

Timko Plays a Major Hand in Husker Offense
Since her sophomore season at NU in 2004, senior Brittany Timko has been a catalyst for the Husker offense.  Anyone who watches Nebraska play can see Timko's impact, while the statistics back up her pivotal role in the Huskers' goal-scoring ability.

The statistics of goals and assists measure a player's contribution to a team's scoring.  But, by looking at these two statistics in tandem and comparing them against the total number of goals in a season, one can calculate how often a player was involved in a team goal.  The formula for this percentage is as follows:

Goals + Assists/Team's Total Goals = Percentage of goals involving that player

From the start of the 2004 season to the present, Nebraska has scored 114 goals in games in which Timko has played.  In those games, she either found the back of the net herself or assisted on 77 of those goals (68 percent).  Statistically speaking, Timko has had a hand in slightly better than two out of every three Husker goals scored in the past three years.

Through Timko's 13 games in 2006, she has garnered 11 goals and six assists, involving her in 17 of Nebraska's 26 goals (65 percent).

Timko Joins Husker Elite at 100-Point Mark
Senior Brittany Timko recorded six points in Nebraska's 3-2 win over North Texas on Sept. 8 to reach a total of 103 points in her career with the Huskers.  Timko is now one of just six players in NU history to ever reach 100 points or more.

The Coquitlam, British Columbia, native earned her six points on three goals against the Mean Green, earning her fourth career hat trick.  She is now one hat trick away from tying Kim Engesser for the school record of five.
 
Injury Update 
Nebraska has made it through the first seven weeks of play relatively healthy after an unfortunate preseason that included four season-ending injuries.

Sophomore Lauren Isenhower was listed as a redshirt before the Huskers even reached training camp due to a knee injury she suffered while competing with Nebraska in Europe this past summer.  Junior Meghan Hungerford also suffered a season-ending injury before the season began as she fractured her ankle during summer camps.

Then came the loss of senior defender Abby Penas, who was expected to be a major contributor for the NU defense in her final season at Nebraska.  However, Penas suffered a knee injury in the Huskers' exhibition match with Louisville on Aug. 19, and is out for the rest of the season.

Freshman Jackie Walsh will likely apply for a medical hardship after undergoing foot surgery.

Two players who began the season injured have now recovered and seen game time.  Redshirt freshman Shannon Dickerson sat out the first week of the season with a leg injury before returning for Nebraska's 2-2 double overtime tie with Wisconsin Sept. 1.

Since then, sophomore Ali Lokanc has also returned to the lineup after rehabilitating a broken leg she suffered early in 2005.  Lokanc saw her first game action late in the first half against North Texas on Sept. 8 and has since saw consistent game time for the Huskers.

While the Huskers have enjoyed a relatively injury-free season, a few minor injuries popped up following the opening weekend of Big 12 play.

Junior Jessie Bruch suffered a slight knee injury against Missouri on Sept. 22, sidelining her for three league games.  However, Bruch returned in Nebraska's 2-1 overtime win over Baylor on Friday to record  three shots, including one on goal.

Sophomore Jessie Goodell also experienced a knee injury in Nebraska's loss to Iowa State on Sept. 24.  Goodell did not play against Colorado or Kansas, but returned in Nebraska's win over Baylor.

Timko Lands on Watch List
Nebraska senior Brittany Timko earned her second nomination to the Hermann Watch List this season as announced by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America.  Timko is one of 25 nominees compiled by a panel of coaches from the NSCAA.

The Missouri Athletic Club’s Hermann Trophy honors the top male and female Division I college soccer players in the United States. The award represents the highest level of individual achievement in the sport. Over the years, the award has honored some of the biggest names in U.S. soccer. Kristine Lilly, Mia Hamm, Shannon MacMillan, Claudio Reyna, Alexi Lalas and Tony Meola are just a few of the players who won the award prior to achieving success on the international stage.

An NSCAA All-American, Timko earned her first nomination as a junior in 2005 and went on to finish among 15 semifinalists for the award.  A list of this year’s 15 Hermann Award semifinalists will be released in early November, with three finalists chosen later that month.  The finalists will be invited to St. Louis, Mo., on Dec. 2 for the announcement of the winner, as selected through voting by the members of the NSCAA, at the NCAA Men’s College Cup.  The winner will receive the prestigious crystal soccer ball trophy later that evening.

Big Time in the Big 12
Since joining the conference in 1996, the Nebraska soccer program has always been considered one of the teams to beat in the Big 12.  Over the last 12 seasons, the Huskers have laid claim to eight Big 12 titles and five Big 12 Tournament championships.  Only Texas A&M, which matched the Huskers with its eighth Big 12 title in 2005, has earned a comparable level of success in the league.

Apart from its postseason success, Nebraska also owns a number of Big 12 team season records including most shots (656 in 2000), points (316 in 1999), goals (108 in 1999), goals per game (4.32 in 1999), assists (108 in 2000) and shutouts (16 in 2000).

Individually, Nebraska also reigns supreme, capturing a league-best 39 first-team All-Big 12 picks to Texas A&M's 28.  Recently, NU senior Brittany Timko also joined the Big 12 record books as she notched a conference-record 21 assists in 2005 to topple the previous record of 17, which was set in 2003 by Oklahoma State's Nikki Wojtowicz.

NCAA Tournament Titans
For the Nebraska soccer program, the NCAA tournament isn't a goal, it's a tradition.  The Huskers have been a staple in collegiate women's soccer's biggest competition for the past 10 consecutive seasons, including eight runs into the Sweet 16 and two into the Elite Eight.

NU's success, coupled with the enthusiasm and support of the Lincoln community and Husker soccer fans, have made Nebraska one of the NCAA's favorite postseason tournament sites.  Lincoln has been host to opening-round action on seven occassions from 1996 to 2005.  Even when the Huskers made the move to the Nebraska Soccer Field in 2005, the trend continued as the venue was once again chosen to host the opening round between Nebraska, Creighton, Iowa State and eventual national champion Portland.