Peetz, Caniglia Lead Huskers into 2009

One of the nation's best women's college soccer programs enters the 2009 season with hopes of resurgence. From 1994 to 2005, NCAA Tournament berths and conference championships were the norm for Nebraska soccer. Now, a three-year absence from the field of 64 has an experienced and talented Husker squad aiming for levels historically achieved by head coach John Walker.

This fall, the Huskers return seven starters off a team that barely missed the NCAA Tournament a year ago. Nebraska got off to a shaky start by dropping its first four games, but rallied to a 10-9-1 overall record, including a solid 6-4 mark in Big 12 play. In an eight-day span in September, Nebraska won two double-overtime games (No. 25 Kansas, Missouri) and upset a pair of ranked opponents (No. 25 Kansas, No. 8 Texas), instilling confidence that the Huskers remain a national contender.

Despite a nice turnaround to the 2008 season, the Huskers weren't satisfied. In the spring, Nebraska put together an impressive 7-1-3 record, further proving the Huskers' potential to reach high expectations in 2009.

If Nebraska is looking to build on a solid foundation, the Huskers' have consistency and stability in senior defender Carly Peetz. One of six seniors, Peetz should be a driving force this season after starting all 59 games during her career. The Lincoln native ended last season with a spot on the All-Big 12 second team, before leading NU to five shutouts this past spring.

Offensively, Nebraska returns its top four scorers from last year's team in senior forward Shay Powell (19 points), sophomore forward Molly Thomas (11 points), senior defender Anna Caniglia (11 points) and junior forward Michaella Fulmer (11 points). The Huskers outscored their opponents 31-28 last season, a mark that should improve from a 2009 team that returns 81 percent of its goals.

Although only a sophomore, Thomas is attempting to live up to big expectations. She lived up to the hype in her first year of collegiate soccer,  scoring five goals and starting 18 of 20 games in 2008. Her season performance was strong enough for a spot on the All-Big 12 newcomer team, further showcasing Nebraska's young talent.

In addition to Peetz, Powell and Caniglia, Nebraska's senior class becomes a complete unit of talent and leadership with Brittney Lanier, Julie Berkshire and Lauren Isenhower.

Walker welcomes eight newcomers in 2009, including seven freshmen. Nebraska also adds junior goalkeeper Tara Macdonald, a junior transfer from the University of Oklahoma who will contend for the starting goalkeeper position.

Nebraska began a return to prominence in 2008 but fell just short. With seven returning starters, six seniors and a pair of All-Big 12 selections, the Huskers are poised to continue the resurgence in 2009.

Forwards
Nebraska looks to be a more explosive team in 2009, due in large part to a strong corps of forwards. The position was projected to be one of the most improved areas last season and the Huskers did not disappoint. Nebraska had six more goals in 2008 than 2007 (31 to 25) and  reached the three-goal mark seven times (only two times in 2007).

Nebraska returns its top four goal scorers from a year ago, including forwards Shay Powell, Molly Thomas and Michaella Fulmer.

Powell led the Huskers in points for the second straight season last year with 19 (7 goals, 5 assists), while ranking seventh in the Big 12 with 63 shots. She is one of Nebraska's top clutch performers, notching a pair of game-winning goals and assists in 2008. Powell has steadily emerged as one of Nebraska's top players and aims to be at her best in her senior season.

Although just a sophomore, Thomas is carrying the expectations of a veteran. She was impressive as a freshman and earned Big 12 All-Newcomer honors after an 11-point season. That total tied for second on the team and helped provide a solid foundation in a young career. The Omaha native will work on taking her game to the next level in 2009.

Fulmer started just three games in 2008, but her impact was far more significant. Coming off the bench, she tallied four goals and three assists on the year, including the game-winning assist against Missouri and game-winning goal versus Iowa State. The junior is poised for a breakout season this fall.

Senior Lauren Isenhower is in her final season with the Huskers and looks to be healthy after a tough battle with injuries. She saw action in 18 games last year after playing in just seven in 2007 following a redshirt season. Isenhower's success as a freshman (7 points, 18 starts) gives Nebraska reason to believe she could be be a force this year.

Junior Jaclyn White and sophomore Alexa Cardona also have the ability to find the net (White one goal, Cardona two goals), and should be solid contributors to the NU front line.

The Huskers also welcome three freshmen to the frontline in Stacy Bartels, Jordan Jackson and Morgan Marlborough.

Midfielders
A pair of seniors, Brittney Lanier and Julie Berkshire, lead the midfield lineup for Nebraska in 2009 after the departures of Selenia Iacchelli and Sari Raber. Three other Husker midfielders enter 2009 with game experience in juniors Colleen Goetzmann and Anna White and sophomore Katie Goetzmann.

Lanier enters the season having played in 56 games for the Huskers, third-most on the 2009 team. She has six career points, including four as a freshman, and is a very reliable option in the midfield. Aside from Lanier's extensive game experience, she can also fill a role in the starting lineup, having started 16 career games.

Berkshire has been one of Nebraska's top reserves the past three seasons, but the loss of Iacchelli and Raber may give her the opportunity for increased minutes in 2009. A proven leader, Berkshire has played in 35 career games and scored a pair of goals in 2007. She saw action in 10 games last year and looks to go out on a high note in 2009.

The Goetzmann sisters might add the biggest scoring punch to the Husker midfield, as they have combined for seven career points (Katie, 4; Colleen, 3) in their young careers. As a sophomore, Colleen started all but one game for the Huskers and looks to be a regular starter once again. After sitting out 2007 with an injury, Katie was an immediate contributor last season, tallying four points and seeing action in all 20 games.

Junior Anna White may be one of Nebraska's biggest competitors, a style that serves her well in the Husker midfield. She had one of the season's biggest goals in 2008, scoring in NU's upset of No. 8 Texas. She enters 2009 with 24 starts and 36 games of experience.

Freshmen Bri Badje and Bri Exstrom round out the position, beginning their Husker careers after being named first-team all-state selections at Lincoln Southwest High School.

Defenders
Defense could be Nebraska's strength in 2009. The Huskers held five opponents scoreless last season and lost only one senior from the backline (Lindsay Poehling). Five of Nebraska's defenders carry game experience, led by seniors Carly Peetz and Anna Caniglia. That duo is supported by junior Brittany Goosen and sophomores Blair Slapper and Jamie Sanchez.

Both Nebraska natives, Peetz and Caniglia have developed roles as reliable defenders for the Huskers with impressive play and consistency. Peetz was a 2008 All-Big 12 selection and enters the new year as a preseason all-conference pick in 2009. She not only leads Nebraska's defense, but also helps provide a nice scoring punch, as she has 14 career points, including six last season.

Like Peetz, Caniglia has started all 59 games of her three-year career. Her numbers skyrocketed in 2008, when she scored 11 points after totaling just four the previous two seasons. Caniglia is one of Nebraska's best team players, evidenced by two game-winning assists last year.  

Goosen looks to be on the same track to success as her senior teammates. The Olathe, Kan., native has started all 38 games of her career, missing only the first game of 2008 due to offseason knee surgery. She saw notable improvement in offensive production in 2008, registering four shots after tallying just one as a freshman.

Slapper redshirted the 2007 season but hit the field hard in 2008. She appeared in 14 games for the Big Red, and now hopes to fill a void left by Poehling. Sanchez will also contend for Poehling's spot, looking for increased playing time after seeing action in five games last year. Sanchez also redshirted the 2007 season.

Nebraska's lone freshman in the backline is Taylor Houck. The Pennsylvania native was a top 100 recruit (topdrawersoccer.com) and a leader for Germantown Academy, who earned a No. 23 national ranking from the NSCAA in 2008.   

Goalkeepers
Nebraska lost goalkeeper Brittany Pfeil to graduation, but should have strong competition for the starting spot between juniors Jessica Mills and Tara Macdonald, while freshman Emma Stevens also looks to contend.

Mills started all 19 games of the 2007 season, posting a 1.68 goals-against average, while holding three opponents scoreless. The same year, Macdonald started eight contests for Oklahoma, giving up 1.19 goals per game for the Sooners and posting two shutouts. After transitional years in 2008 (Mills five starts; Macdonald did not play due to transfer), the pair will compete for the starting job in 2009.

With Mills and Macdonald in the net during the spring season, Nebraska had an impressive six shutouts in 12 games.

Stevens is coming off a strong high school senior season in which she collected 11 shutouts at Santiago High School in Corona, Calif.

Schedule
Nebraska will be away from home to start the 2009 season with three straight road games before a Sept. 4 home opener against Lamar. That marks the beginning of a five-game homestand for the Big Red.

Nebraska hosts the adidas Husker Classic Sept. 11-13, when the Huskers take on North Dakota and Akron. NU closes the homestand with non-conference battles versus South Dakota State and Arizona State the following weekend.

The Big 12 Conference will be strong as usual, but the Huskers' 6-4 league record in 2008 showed Nebraska is ready to compete with one of the nation's top leagues. After opening the conference slate with back-to-back road games (Colorado and Texas Tech), the Huskers will look to capitalize on three straight Big 12 home contests against Oklahoma State, Baylor and Oklahoma in October. Nebraska will then attempt to knock off Texas for the second straight year on Oct. 16 in Austin, before hosting Texas A&M on Oct. 18. The following week will be critical, as the Huskers face division foes Kansas and Missouri on the road, both opponents that NU defeated in double-overtime last year. The Huskers wrap up the regular season by hosting Iowa State on Oct. 30.

After finishing fifth in 2008, Nebraska is aiming for the top of the Big 12 Conference once again. If the Huskers can capitalize on that success, NU will have a strong chance of returning to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2005.