Nebraska Opens Conference Play at Home

Lincoln-Fresh off two up-tempo games, the Huskers kick off their conference schedule at the Nebraska Soccer Field this weekend against two teams from the Panhandle state.

Nebraska's offense burst onto the scene in a big way last Friday as the Huskers defeated Saint Louis University. NU set several Nebraska Soccer Field records on the way to a 5-1 victory. The Huskers followed that with a spirited match against No. 12 Florida on Sunday. Nebraska had its chances as its offense showed marked improvement, but the game ended in a 1-1 tie.

The Huskers now turn their focus to Big 12 play as Oklahoma and No. 16 Oklahoma State visit the Nebraska Soccer Field this weekend. Nebraska opens conference play at home for just the fifth time in school history with a 4:30 p.m. showdown with the Sooners. The Huskers' offense looks to be coming around at the right time. Nebraska is perfect in conference openers, racking up an impressive 11-0 record and outscoring opponents 39-5.

Oklahoma State travels to Lincoln on Sunday to face the Huskers at 1 p.m. The game looks to be a battle of strengths as Oklahoma State's high-powered offense will square off with Nebraska's stout defense. The Cowgirls are off to a fast start, as they sit tied atop the Big 12 standings at 6-1-1 on the season, but the Huskers have had their number. Nebraska is 9-2-0 all-time against OSU.

The Huskers are 81-24-4 all-time in regular-season conference play.
    
Scouting Oklahoma (4-2-2, 0-0-0 Big 12)
Oklahoma started its season on a high note as the Sooners ripped off three straight wins, but things have taken a turn for the worse in Norman. OU has tied or lost four of its last five games as its offense has managed only two goals in those games.

Much like Nebraska, the Sooners' defense is the strength of their squad. Oklahoma has allowed just six goals in eight games, accumulating a 0.70 goals-against average. The Sooner defense was led early on by senior goalkeeper Jennifer Nichols, who started the first six games. Redshirt freshman Tara Macdonald has allowed zero goals in the last two starts at goalkeeper.

The Sooners offense was hot early as they scored 14 goals in their first three games. Forward Whitney Palmer has gotten her career off to a great start as she leads OU in points with 10 on five goals. She was named the Big 12 Newcomer of the Week on Sept. 11 for her two goals against Oral Roberts.

The game pits NU assistant coach Wally Crittenden against his former team. Crittenden got his first experience at the Division I level while working with the Oklahoma program in 2005 and 2006, helping the Sooners to 14 shutouts over those two seasons.

Husker History versus Oklahoma
Nebraska boasts an impressive 9-2-0 all-time record against the Sooners, including a 5-1 record at home against them. The Huskers' previous meeting was last year in Norman, as Nebraska broke a three-game losing streak with a 1-0 win over OU. The shutout was the fourth of the season for Nebraska and its second in Big 12 play. Selenia Iacchelli ripped a shot past the OSU goalkeeper in the 32nd minute to put the Huskers up for good and give Iacchelli the first game-winning goal of her career.

The Huskers have faced Oklahoma once before in their conference opener at home, as NU put an 8-0 victory on OU in 1996.

Scouting Oklahoma State (6-1-1, 0-0-0 Big 12)
The Huskers face a tough early conference foe in No. 16 Oklahoma State. The Cowgirls currently sit tied atop the Big 12 standings with a 6-1-1 record on the season. The match up will be a battle of strengths as Oklahoma State's high-powered offense squares off with Nebraska's stout defense.

After a second-round appearance in the NCAA Tournament a year ago, the Cowgirls look to be back on the same track. OSU's only loss so far this season has come at the hands of Washington State, 1-0. Oklahoma State have outscored its opponents 21-3 while posting five shutouts.

The Cowgirls, which rank in the top half of conference in several categories, are led by senior Sasa Jackson, who has 12 points on five goals and two assists. She's gotten assistance from some fresh faces in freshman Katie Richardson and sophomore Kasey Langdon. Both have 10 points on three goals and four assists. OSU has put together 166 shots on the season, third in the Big 12, and accumulated 61 points, also third in the conference.

Oklahoma State's defense is also a strength. Junior goalkeeper Erin Stigler has taken the majority of minutes in net for the Cowgirls. Her 0.41 goals-against average is tops in the Big 12 as she has made 19 saves and earned two shutouts. Stigler and the Cowgirl defense have allowed just three goals on the season.
 
Husker History versus Oklahoma State 
The Huskers own an all-time series record of 9-2-0 against Oklahoma State, including 5-1 at home. Nebraska had a three-game winning streak over the Cowgirls broken with a 2-0 loss last season in Stillwater. A goal off a penalty kick in the first hal proved to the game-winner. A foul in the 18th minute inside the box gave OSU the chance and it siezed it. The Cowgirls were able to add another goal late as the Huskers never recovered. Selenia Iacchelli led the NU offensive effort with two of Nebraska's three shots on goal.

Nebraska Perfect in Big 12 Openers
When Nebraska opens Big 12 Conference play on Friday against Oklahoma, the Huskers will be looking to win the program’s 12th consecutive league opener in 12 tries. NU is 11-0 all-time in Big 12 openers and has outscored its opponents by a whopping 39-5 margin, winning by an average of more than three goals per game.

Keeping the streak alive will not be easy, as the Sooners enter the game with a 4-2-2 record. Nebraska is no stranger to facing tough opponents to open the season, however, as Nebraska traveled to Missouri and defeated the Tigers, 2-0 last season and handed MU its second loss of the season. The Huskers defeated Colorado, 2-1, to start the 2005 conference season and shut out No. 8 Kansas in Lawrence to open the 2004 conference slate.

Nebraska opens league play at home this year, after three consecutive years on the road.  Nebraska is 5-0 in Big 12 openers at home and has outscored its opponents 18-1. The Huskers have faced Oklahoma just once before in the conference opener, as NU put an 8-0 win on the Sooners in 1996. Below is a breakdown of how the Huskers have fared in league openers since the formation of the Big 12 Conference in 1996:

Year  Opponent  Result
1996  Oklahoma  W, 8-0
1997  at Colorado  W, 5-1
1998  at Iowa State W, 4-2
1999  Texas Tech  W, 1-0
2000  at Baylor  W, 3-0
2001  Baylor  W, 4-0
2002  at Missouri  W, 4-0
2003  Iowa State  W, 5-1
2004  at #8 Kansas  W, 1-0
2005  at Colorado  W, 2-1
2006  at Missouri  W, 2-0
Total: 11-0; outscored opponents 39-5

Perfect on the Home Pitch
Nebraska’s 1-1 overtime tie against Florida last Sunday ran the Huskers' record to 3-0-2 at home this season. NU has notched wins over Northwestern, Missouri State and Saint Louis, while tying San Diego State and Florida. The mark is the best home start for the squad since the 2003 season when the Huskers went a perfect 9-0 at home on their way to a second-round appearance in the NCAA Tournament.

Offensive Outburst
After scoring only six goals in the first six games, the Huskers burst through with five goals against Saint Louis last Friday. The Huskers set several Nebraska Soccer Field records in notching the 5-1 win. NU’s five goals set a team record for goals at the field, dating back to the start of the 2005 season. The previous high was four goals on three occasions. The four-goal win also ties the largest margin of victory at the field.

Four Huskers scored their first goal of the season in the game, while five goals is the biggest offensive outburst for NU since a 6-0 win at Oral Roberts on Oct. 14, 2005. Four goals in a half are also the most since scoring five against Northern Colorado on Sept. 17, 2004.

Mills Makes Her Mark
Jessica Mills is not one to waste time. After graduating high school a year early to join the Huskers, Mills has already made her mark on the Husker squad. Starting all eight games in net for NU this year, she has accumulated a 0.81 goals-against average, allowing just eight goals in eight games. Mills has even worked her way into the Husker record book. She became the first freshman goalkeeper to record a shutout in a Nebraska season opener with her 2-0 victory over Northwestern on Sept. 2. Mills’ six saves on the day were the most by a Nebraska goalkeeper making her career debut since at least 1996.

Mills opened her career with a scoreless streak of nearly 160 minutes, and hasn’t looked back since. She ranks near the top of the Big 12 in several categories. She is first in minutes played with 774 minutes of action, over 40 minutes ahead of second. She is first in saves, collecting 42 on the year and first in saves per game, averaging 5.25 per game. Her save percentage of .857 ranks her third in the Big 12. She has posted two shutouts, which ties her for fourth in the conference.

Fit to be Tied
With a 1-1 overtime tie against No. 12 Florida last Sunday, the Huskers recorded their third tie on the year, tying the single-season mark for ties. Just like last year, Nebraska has posted three ties on the year. Counting 2006 and 2007, the Huskers have recorded three ties in a full season just three times in the program’s 14-year history. This year’s ties are the most ever in nonconference play.

Nebraska’s 0-0 tie with San Diego State Sept. 9 was just the third scoreless tie in the 14-year history of Husker soccer, totaling a whopping 293 games. The last time NU played to a scoreless tie was against Kansas in 2005, also at the Nebraska Soccer Field.

Berkshire’s Breakthrough
The Huskers found the cure for their sputtering offense last Friday in sophomore midfielder Julie Berkshire, who posted her first two goals of the season in a 5-1 win over Saint Louis. A mere eight minutes after a Jessie Bruch goal, Berkshire powered a ball past SLU’s goalkeeper from 18 yards out to beat her to the right. The goal put the Huskers up 4-0 at half. In the second period, Berkshire showed she has some touch, too. On an Anna Caniglia corner, Berkshire headed the ball past SLU’s goalkeeper in the 69th minute to put NU up five and seal the game.

Berkshire’s two goals already put her on the path to a career year. She recorded only three shots, one on goal and one goal in 2006. Berkshire has two shots, two on goal and two goals already this season.

Isenhower’s Return
Sophomore Lauren Isenhower made her return to the pitch against Florida last Sunday. The Lenexa, Kan., native has suffered a number of injuries over the last year, but has undergone rehabilitation and will add offensive firepower to the Huskers’ attack.

Isenhower’s hard luck first hit prior to the 2006 season, leaving her out of the lineup following a spectacular freshman year that included two goals and three assists. The 5-9 midfielder had barely set foot back on the pitch this past spring when she again suffered a knee injury and was forced back into rehabilitation.

Goosen’s Goal
Brittany Goosen (pronounced GO-sun) has been one of several freshmen to step up for the Huskers this season. Goosen has started all eight games on the back line for the Huskers this year. She is part of a defense that has allowed just eight goals in eight games, including two shutouts.

Goosen proved her offensive worth as she scored her first career goal against Georgia on Sept. 16. She took a free kick from nearly midfield in the 65th minute. The ball bounced in the goal box and made it over the head of Bulldog goalkeeper Michelle Betos. Her goal broke a 245-minute scoreless streak for the Huskers.

Goosen became the second freshman to score a goal for NU this season. Fellow Husker Alexa Cardona recorded the first NU goal of the season against Northwestern in the season opener. Goosen’s performance earned her a spot on the all-tournament team for the USC Tournament.

A Winning Week
Nebraska played its first four games of the 2007 season in a span of just seven days, marking just the fifth time in program history the Huskers played four games in one week. NU has never suffered a loss when playing four games in a week, opening this season 2-0-2, while posting a 3-0-1 record in 2006 and perfect 4-0-0 marks in 1996, 2001 and 2004.

More than Mills
Goalkeeper Jessica Mills continues to wow Husker fans in her freshman campaign, but Mills owes part of her success to the stout Nebraska defense in front of her. Mills, along with starting defenders Brittany Goosen, Anna Caniglia, Carly Peetz and Lindsay Poehling, allowed only two goals through the first four games this season, including a pair of double-overtime contests. The 2002 NU squad was the last to allow two or fewer goals after four games, while the 2000 team was the last to have a lower goals-against average through four games than this year’s squad (0.45). The Nebraska defense did not allowed a first-half goal through the first four games and 180 minutes. The Huskers have given up only eight goals through their first eight games.

Freshman Facts
The Nebraska roster is nearly half freshmen this season as 14 of 31 players are in their first year in Lincoln. Three of those freshmen made their first career starts on Sept. 2 in a 2-0 Husker win over Northwestern, including midfielder Anna White, forward Brittany Goosen and goalkeeper Jessica Mills.

Alexa Cardona, another freshman, did not start, but did score the game-winning goal in the 71st minute. Cardona became the first true freshman to score the game-winning goal in a season-opener since Ashley Carter in 2003.

The shutout was Nebraska’s first in a season-opener since 2003 and made Mills the first freshman goalkeeper to record a shutout in a Nebraska season opener.

Mills’ six saves on the day were also the most by a Nebraska goalkeeper making her career debut since at least 1996.

Meet Me at the Corner
The Huskers’ eight second-half corner kicks against Northwestern in the season opener matched or exceeded NU’s entire game total from 11 of its 20 games in 2006. Nebraska last had at least eight corner kicks in a half last season against Central Michigan when NU took 12 second-half corner kicks.

Corner kick duties for the Huskers have been split between midfielders Sari Raber and Anna Caniglia and forward Brittney Lanier.

Jamani Earns Big 12 Pick
Junior Aysha Jamani has been selected to the preseason All-Big 12 soccer team in the league’s coach’s poll. Jamani returns to Nebraska for her junior year in 2007 as the Huskers’ most potent offensive threat following the graduation of three-time Big 12 Player of the Year Brittany Timko.  Jamani owns 11 goals and eight assists in two seasons and has started at forward in 37games. A former Big 12 All-Newcomer Team member and two-time second-team All-Big 12 selection, Jamani has consistently performed at the highest level for the Huskers.