Lincoln-The Nebraska women’s soccer team unleashed a season-high 31 shots and 12 shots on goal en route to a 2-1 win over Stephen F. Austin at the Nebraska Soccer Field on Sunday. The Huskers moved their unbeaten streak to five games and enter conference play with a 4-4-1 record.<?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"?>
Junior defender Anna Caniglia capitalized on a Ladyjack mistake in the 72nd minute to notch the game-winning goal. A Stephen F. Austin player received a red card after pushing Selenia Iacchelli in the back, and Caniglia took the free kick. From 40 yards out, Caniglia put a high shot to the upper left corner that SFA goalkeeper Courtney Bauder got a hand on, but could not stop. Caniglia, who almost missed the game after injuring her ankle in warmups, has notched all three of her scores this season off set plays. The goal was her first game-winner.
Freshman forward Molly Thomas claimed NU’s first goal of the match to tie the game at one in the 33rd minute. Junior defender Carly Peetz played a long ball and Thomas outran an SFA defender. Thomas beat Bauder low to the right for her third goal of the season. Thomas ranks second on the team with seven points. The assist was Peetz’s first point of the season.
The Ladyjacks started the scoring with a goal in the second minute. Summer Bradfield took a corner that slipped past NU goalkeeper Brittany Pfeil. Pfeil rebounded to collect four saves in the game. She is 4-1-1 this season with a 0.64 goals-against average.
Junior Shay Powell led the Husker offense with 10 shots, putting three on goal. Fellow forward Aysha Jamani also had three shots directed on net of her seven total attempts. Nine NU players recorded a shot, as the Huskers outshot the Ladyjacks 15 to 2 in the second half. Nebraska had 11 corners to four for SFA. The NU defense held Stephen F. Austin to five shots on goal in 10 attempts, including just two shots on goal in the second half.
Nebraska kicks off Big 12 play on Friday with a 4:30 p.m. showdown with No. 25 Kansas at the Nebraska Soccer Field.