Huskers Return to Lincoln for More Texas Opponents

Lincoln-After traveling to Texas for two consecutive weekends, the Huskers get some home cooking as they return to Lincoln. Nebraska (5-6-3, 1-4-0 Big 12) hosts Baylor (6-7-2, 0-5-1 Big 12) in a 4 p.m. contest on Friday and welcomes No. 3 Texas A&M (11-2-1, 5-1-0 Big 12) at 1 p.m. on Sunday. Both games will be played at the Nebraska Soccer Field.

This weekend's game are the fourth and fifth consecutive games that NU has faced an opponent from the state of Texas. The Huskers dropped a hard-fought battle to No. 6 Texas 2-1 in overtime on Oct. 7 and racked up 44 shots in a 4-0 win over Lamar last Friday. NU scored first against Texas Tech last Sunday but came up short in a 2-1 loss.

Friday's match up features both teams looking to get back in the win column. Baylor has had its own share of troubles as the Bears enter the weekend on a five-game losing streak and are winless in the Big 12. Recent games, including last year's overtime contest, have been close so Friday's game has the potential to be a good one.

The Huskers close out their Texas opponents with a tough match on Sunday against No. 3 Texas A&M. The Aggies enter the game riding a five-game winning streak and sit atop the Big 12 standings at 5-1-0. Sunday's game may be an upset alert as the Huskers are 5-2 all-time against the Aggies in Lincoln.

NU boasts an 82-28-4 all-time conference record, and a 4-1-2 home record this season.

Scouting Baylor (6-7-2, 0-5-1 Big 12)
Baylor began the 2007 season on the right foot as the Bears accumulated a 6-2-1 record early in the year. The start of Big 12 play has been unkind to BU, though, as the Bears enter Friday's matchup with a 6-7-2 record, including 0-5-1 in conference play and a five-game losing streak.

The Bears are third in the Big 12 in goals per game (2.13) and third in total points (89) as they have outscored their opponents 32-26. Senior forward Jessica Hutton has been an offensive leader for the Bears, scoring five goals this season. She has gotten help from freshman midfielder Lotto Smith, who also has five goals.

Senior defender Megan Sherrell leads the Baylor squad with 19 points on six goals and seven assists, but the defense may be the Bears' demise. Senior Ashley Noah is an imposing threat in the net as she stands 6'1 and garnered a first-team All Big 12 selection last year. However, Noah and the Bear defense are 10th in goals allowed this season with 26. In its five-game losing streak, BU has been outscored 13-6.

Husker History versus Baylor
Nebraska is 12-3-0 all-time against Baylor, including wins in nine of the last 11 games. NU has outscored the Bears 43-12, including notching seven shutouts against them, but recent games have been closer contests.

The last meeting between these two teams, an early October scuffle last year, saw the game go into overtime as Nebraska's offense struggled against a stingy Baylor defense. After numerous chances failed to find the back of the net, a goal in the 81st minute of regulation and a game-winning goal from Aysha Jamani just 51 seconds into the first overtime period lifted NU to a 2-1 win.

Despite controlling the ball for most of the game and enjoying a large advantage in shots and shots on goal, the Huskers found themselves trailing 1-0 late in the game. Brittany Timko finally got Nebraska on the board when her free kick found the back of the net at 80:13 to force overtime.

The momentum from Timko’s ninth goal of the season carried over into extra time, as Nebraska immediately earned its 12th corner kick of the game. Timko’s kick found Carly Peetz, who headed the ball to the front of the goal where Jamani knocked it past a flurry of Baylor defenders.

Nebraska dominated the game, taking a season-high 28 shots while holding Baylor to six, tying the season low for shots allowed by NU. The Huskers put 10 shots on goal to just two from BU and enjoyed a 12-1 margin in corners.

Scouting No. 3 Texas A&M (11-2-1, 5-1-0 Big 12)
The preseason favorites to repeat as regular-season champions, Texas A&M is on track again as it enters the weekend leading the Big 12 with a 5-1-0 record and 11-2-1 overall. The No. 3 Aggies are on a five-game winning streak as their only loss in conference play came in double overtime at Missouri in their first Big 12 game.

TAMU has outscored its opponents 37-11, including outshooting them 261-150. The Aggies scored four second-half goals in 13 minutes against Colorado last Sunday as they are second in the conference in goals (37) and points (102).

Senior forward Ashlee Pistorius has shown the ability to score at will as she leads the Aggies with 35 points on 15 goals and five assists. Senior midfielder Melissa Garey and sophomore defender Nicole Ketchum are second on the team with four goals apiece.

The Aggies' strong defense is anchored by sophomore goalkeeper Kristin Arnold, who has been forced to make only 51 saves on the year. Arnold sports a 0.81 goals-against average, including five shutouts, tying her for first in the Big 12 in shutouts.

Husker History versus Texas A&M
The Huskers' history with the Aggies has been a back-and-forth affair. NU leads the all-time series 13-9-0, and at one point had an eight-game win streak over TAMU, but the Aggies have battled back to claim the last four contests. Thirteen of the team's 22 contests have been decided by one goal, while, outside of NU's 7-0 win in 1998, neither team has scored more than four goals in one game.

Nebraska and Texas A&M last faced off on Oct. 13, 2006, as TAMU came out on top in College Station. Despite an outstanding defensive effort from the Huskers, Nebraska suffered a 2-0 shutout loss to the Aggies.

Defensively, Nebraska was led by an exceptional performance from goalkeeper Jamie Klages, who made 10 saves on the evening to keep the Huskers in a deadlock with one of the top teams in the country through 63 minutes of play.

However, the A&M defense played a smart game as well, holding Nebraska to season lows in both shots (4) and corner kicks (1), while the Aggie offense tallied 10 shots on goal on 21 shots. A&M notched both of its goals on the evening in the second half.

Nebraska's Never-Ending Shots
The Huskers’ offense broke through in a big way last Friday as NU peppered Lamar with 44 shots, including 26 in the first half, to capture a 4-0 win in Beaumont, Texas. NU’s offense set several season-highs as the win improved the Huskers to 5-5-3 on the season.

Nebraska’s 44 shots were the most in a game since NU recorded 44 in an 11-0 win over Drury on Sept. 3, 2000. Nebraska put half its total shots on goal as 22 of its shots found their way towards the net. NU’s 22 shots on goal were the most since Nebraska had 22 against Belmont in a 7-0 win on Sept. 6, 2002.

The Huskers forced LU goalkeeper Kelsie Binetti to make 18 saves in the game, which fell one shy of breaking the single game saves record by an NU opponent. Heather Friedman of Arkansas-Little Rock notched 19 saves against the Huskers in an 11-0 loss on Aug. 27, 2000.

Defensive Dominance
The Huskers unleashed an offensive barrage on Lamar last Friday, but NU’s defense would not be outdone, though. The Huskers allowed Lamar just three shots in the game, including only two on goal. All of the Cardinals' shots came in the second half. Freshman goalkeeper Jessica Mills had an easy day as she recorded no saves in the first half, and sophomore Brittany Pfeil gained valuable minutes in the second half as she made two saves.

Freshmen Force
The Husker freshmen had a break-out game against Lamar last Friday as a freshman scored or assisted on three of NU’s four goals. Three Husker freshmen scored their first career goals, while two Huskers notched their first career assists.

Freshman midfielder Anna White found the back of the net in the 29th minute, courtesy of Selenia Iacchelli. Freshman forward Jaclyn White capped a three-goal first half for Nebraska as she scored in the 39th minute on an assist from fellow freshman forward Michaella Fulmer. NU put the finishing touches on the game in the 66th minute when Fulmer scored her own goal with the assist being credited to another freshman forward, Alexa Cardona.

Husker freshmen recorded 22 of the teams’ 44 shots, including 13 of the 22 shots on goal. Jaclyn White added six shots, including four on goal to go with her goal, while Fulmer and Cardona both recorded five shots each. Fulmer, Jaclyn White and Anna White all recorded their first career points in the match.

Shay Scores
Sophomore forward Shay Powell found the back of the net in the second half against No. 3 Texas on Oct. 7 and put the Huskers in position to become just the second road team to leave Austin with a win or tie in the Longhorns' last 12 home matches.

Powell collected a cross from sophomore forward Brittney Lanier and scored in the 54th minute for her third goal of the season. Powell's goal ended a 320-minute scoreless streak for NU, as the Huskers have played three consecutive Sunday games against top-16 teams.

Jamani Done for Season
Junior forward Aysha Jamani had her season cut short when she suffered a season-ending Achille's tendon injury in practice on Oct. 3. The Huskers lose one of their top offensive threats in Jamani, as she was leading the Huskers in shots on goal through the first 10 games.

Jamani, a Calgary, Alberta native, was selected to the preseason All-Big 12 soccer team in the league's coach's poll.

Mills Garners Honor
The Big 12 Conference announced on Sept. 25 that Husker freshman goalkeeper Jessica Mills had been named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week. Mills, a Houston, Texas, native, has started all 10 games in net for Nebraska this year.

Mills played two tremendous games on Sept. 21 and 23 as she recorded 11 saves and only allowed one goal in two games. On Sept. 21, she recorded five saves and did not allow a goal against Saint Louis as Nebraska won 5-1. She followed up that performance with six saves and one goal allowed in 110 minutes of action as the Huskers tied No. 12 Florida 1-1 on Sept. 23.

At the announcement, Mills was first in the Big 12 in minutes played (774), saves (42) and saves per game (5.25). Her save percentage of .857 ranked third in the conference and her two shutouts placed her fourth in the league. She is only the third Husker freshman to win the Big 12 weekly defensive accolade.

(Near) Perfect at Home
Nebraska's 1-0 loss to No. 16 Oklahoma State on Sept. 30 marked the first loss for the Huskers at the Nebraska Soccer Field this season. The Huskers are now 4-1-2 at home, notching wins over Northwestern, Missouri State, Saint Louis and Oklahoma, 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.

Husker Hot Shots
The Huskers bombarded Oklahoma's goalkeeper with 12 shots on goal on Sept. 28 in a 1-0 NU win. Twelve shots on goal is a season high for the Huskers and the most since Nebraska recorded 12 at Texas Tech on Oct. 30, 2005. Fans have seen impressive results as NU's offense has matured over the season. The Huskers have attempted at least 10 shots on goal against Oklahoma, Saint Louis and San Diego State this season. Nebraska racked up 10 shots in goal in only two games last year.

Undefeated in Openers
With a 1-0 win over Oklahoma on Sept. 28, the Huskers won the program's 12th consecutive leage opener in 12 tries. NU is 12-0 all-time in Big 12 openers and has outscored its opponents by a whopping 40-5 margin, winning by an average of more than three goals per game.

Nebraska opened league play at home this year, after three consecutive years on the road. Nebraska is 6-0 in Big 12 openers at home and has outscored its opponents 19-1. The Huskers have faced Oklahoma just twice in the conference opener, as NU put an 9-0 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
2007 Oklahoma W, 1-0
Total: 12-0; outscored opponents 40-5

Offensive Outburst
After scoring only six goals in the first six games, the Huskers burst through with five goals against Saint Louis on Sept. 21. 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 10 games in net for NU this year, she has accumulated a 0.81 goals-against average, allowing just nine goals in 10 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 954 minutes of action, over 50 minutes ahead of second. She is second in saves, collecting 50 on the year and third in saves per game, averaging five per game. Her save percentage of .862 ranks her third in the Big 12. She has posted three shutouts, which ties her for second in the conference.

Fit to be Tied
With a 1-1 overtime tie against No. 12 Florida on Sept. 23, 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 on Sept. 21 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 on Sept. 23. 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 nine goals through their first 10 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.