Huskers Fall to Big 12-Leader in Stillwater

<?xml:namespace prefix="st1" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"?>Stillwater, Okla. ? A goal off a penalty kick in the first half proved to be the game-winner as the Husker soccer team fell 2-0 to OklahomaState on Friday in Stillwater.<?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"?>

 

Although the Cowgirls would put a pair of goals away on the evening, the game-winning penalty shot in the 18th minute proved enough as the Huskers would never recover from the early goal.  Nebraska is now 8-6-3 (3-5-1 Big 12), while OklahomaState improves to 13-2-2 (8-1-1).

 

The Huskers outshot OSU 15-11 in the loss, but earned just three shots on goal to four from the Cowgirls.  Sophomore Selenia Iacchelli led the NU offensive effort with two of Nebraska’s three shots on goal.  Senior Brittany Timko fired four shots in a come-from-behind-effort, but failed to find the net.    

 

The Cowgirls got on the board off a Nebraska mistake in the first period when the Huskers were called for a foul inside the box.  OklahomaState’s Adrian Radtke took the resulting penalty kick at 17:36 and drove the ball past NU goalkeeper Jamie Klages for the 1-0 lead.  This is the third time this season that Nebraska has allowed an opponent to score on a penalty kick.

 

Despite trailing to the Cowgirls, the Huskers controlled the first half of play, outshooting OklahomaState seven to four.  However, both teams were able to put just one shot on goal with OSU’s proving to be the game-winner.

 

Nebraska came out in the second period fired up and ready to play, ripping two shots in the first two minutes of the half.  Iacchelli put her second shot on goal of the game at 46:41, followed by a rebound shot by Timko at 47:11 that sailed high.

 

However, Nebraska’s scoring drive slowed considerably from there as the Husker managed just two more shots in the remainder of the game. 

 

Meanwhile, the Cowgirls continued to work on the Nebraska defense as the game wore on and eventually the tough Husker unit faltered.  After Klages saved an initial shot from OSU’s Jamie Markaverich, the Cowgirls were able to regain control of the ball and send it in to senior Jesyca Rosholt at the top of the box for OklahomaState’s second goal of the game and her fifth of the season at 70:19.  Freshman Kasey Langdon was credited with the assist on the play.

 

Klages finished the game with two saves, while OklahomaState’s Erin Stigler posted three.

 

The Huskers head to Norman on Sunday to wrap up the Big 12 season with a 1 p.m. kickoff against the Oklahoma Sooners.  NU will return to the Nebraska Soccer Field on Wednesday, Oct. 25, for a mid-week bout with Loyola-Chicago at 4 p.m. to finish the 2006 regular season.