Raber Rallies Huskers Past Tigers

Lincoln-The Nebraska women’s soccer team earned its second consecutive double-overtime victory on a Sari Raber goal in the 107th minute against Missouri in a 3-2 win at the Nebraska Soccer Field on Sunday. NU stands at 6-4-1 after reeling off four straight victories and the Huskers are 2-0 in the Big 12 Conference for the first time since 2004. Nebraska also pushed its unbeaten streak to seven - its longest streak since 2004 - while Missouri fell to 6-3-0 and 1-1 in the conference.

 

Raber’s first points of the season couldn’t have come any easier, as she scored on an empty net after junior forward Shay Powell made a spectacular play. An errant Nebraska pass bounced off a Missouri player and was headed to MU goalkeeper Tasha Dittamore on the right side of the box, but the speedy Powell beat both Tigers to the ball. Powell took one touch toward the backline to clear a diving Dittamore and centered the ball to a wide open Raber, who one-touched the ball into the back of the net. Powell now leads the Huskers in goals (six) and assists (two).

 

Raber and Powell got plenty of help as the Huskers put together an all-around performance in a hard-fought battle that saw 39 fouls and four yellow cards between the two squads. Missouri looked squarely in control after an Alysha Bonnick goal in the 79th minute, but Nebraska extended the game with a score in the 89th minute from junior defender Anna Caniglia. Senior midfielder Selenia Iacchelli took a free kick from the far left of the field that junior defender Carly Peetz shot, but an MU player deflected. Caniglia quickly collected the bouncing ball and put it in for her fourth goal of the season. The assist is Peetz’s second of the year and Iacchelli’s second of the game after an earlier connection with Peetz.

 

The two helped the Huskers tie the game at one in the 37th minute on another free kick. Iacchelli took a kick from exactly midfield that arched toward the net. Dittamore came out 10 yards to collect the ball, but Peetz swooped past her and redirected the ball with her leg into the goal for her first goal of the season. The three points were a career high for Peetz, while Iacchelli, who has played through a foot injury early in the season, tallied her first career multi-assist game.

 

The NU offense once again racked up 20 shots, directing eight on goal, but was outshot for just the third time this season. Missouri collected 25 shots and also had eight shots on goal.

 

Defensively, senior goalkeeper Brittany Pfeil collected six saves for the second game in a row to up her season total to 26. She has allowed seven goals and has a 6-1-1 record as a starter. Dittamore finished with five saves on the day.

 

The two consecutive double-overtime victories mark just the second time in Husker soccer history the team has won consecutive multiple-overtime games. Nebraska followed a double-overtime win against Texas A&M in the Big 12 Championship game with a quadruple-overtime win over Minnesota in the first round of the NCAA Championships in 1996.

 

The Huskers return to the field at 4:30 p.m. on Friday against Texas for their eighth consecutive home game, but hit the road for a 1 p.m. game at Baylor on Sunday.