Huskers Look to Continue Winning Streak Against South Dakota, Arizona State

Game 6: South Dakota (2-3-0) vs. Nebraska (4-1-1)
Live Stats: Huskers.com
Live Audio: KRNU
Date: Friday, Sept. 18
Time: 5 p.m. CST
Location: Nebraska Soccer Field; Lincoln, Neb.

Game 7: Arizona State (4-1-1) vs. Nebraska (4-1-1)
Live Stats: Huskers.com
Live Audio: KRNU
Date: Sunday, Sept. 20
Time: Noon CST
Location: Nebraska Soccer Field; Lincoln, Neb.

The Husker soccer team takes a three-game winning streak into this week as Nebraska prepares to battle first-time opponents South Dakota and Arizona State at the Nebraska Soccer Field. The Huskers will meet the Coyotes on Friday at 5 p.m., before playing the Pac-10 Sun Devils on Sunday at Noon.

The NU Marketing Department encourages kids to come out on Friday vs. South Dakota for "Youth Soccer Day" before giving out Husker bandanas to the first 100 fans on Sunday vs. Arizona State.

Nebraska has won its last three games behind an offensive explosion of 20 goals in that stretch. The Huskers' season total of 26 goals is tied for the third-most in the NCAA this season.

Freshman Morgan Marlborough is the reigning Big 12 Offensive Player and Newcomer of the Week, announced Tuesday by the league office. This weekend is the last chance to see Marlborough and the Huskers at home this month as NU opens Big 12 play on the road Sept. 25 and 27 (No. 20 Colorado, Texas Tech).

Tickets for this weekend's matchups can be purchased at the field-level entrance on game day or by calling 1-800-8-BIG-RED. Single-game admission is $5 for adults and $3 for youth/seniors. UNL students get in free with their N-Card.

Huskers to Honor Shannon Dickerson on Sunday
The Nebraska soccer program will honor former Husker Shannon Dickerson prior to the Arizona State game on Sunday. A native of Highlands Ranch, Colo., Dickerson spent three years with the Nebraska soccer team (2006 to 2008) before a torn ACL in 2007 eventually ended her playing career.

As a freshman in 2006, Dickerson started 10 games, scoring one goal and adding an assist. Following surgery and rehab, Dickerson returned to the field last fall and saw action in two games before the torn ACL injury forced her off the field.

Before Nebraska, Dickerson was a part of three state cup championships with the Colorado Nike Rush. She was also a member of the Under-18 national team that finished ranked No. 9 in the country.

Dickerson is a marketing major at Nebraska and was named to the Big 12 Commissioner's Honor Roll every semester (six times) as a Husker.

Husker History vs. South Dakota
Nebraska and South Dakota will play each other for the first time in school history this Friday. It will mark the first time the Huskers have played any opponent from "The Mount Rushmore State" as NU has also not met South Dakota State.

Scouting the South Dakota Coyotes
The Coyotes are in their second year of Division I athletics after their rise from Division II's North Central Conference. South Dakota is 2-3-0 on the 2009 season, but has been held scoreless in all three losses. Both of the Coyotes' victories this year have come over rival North Dakota, who Nebraska defeated last weekend, 6-1. Junior midfielder Katie Quinones is far and away atop the team charts as the leading-goal scorer with four of South Dakota's five goals. Junior defender Emily Maas has the remaining score.

The Coyotes were 5-11-0 last season in their first year as a Division I program. Head Coach Marcia Oliveira moved to Vermillion after beginning women's soccer at Mary Hardin-Baylor in 1999 and at Sam Houston State in 2003. In her third seasons at both schools, she led MH-B to the American Southwest Conference Playoffs and SMU to the Southland Conference Tournament championship game.

Husker History vs. Arizona State
Arizona State and Nebraska have never met in a regular-season match, but the Huskers did defeat the Sun Devils in the spring season, 3-1, in Tempe, Ariz. Nebraska has played their in-state rival, Arizona, four times with a 3-1-0 mark against the Wildcats. The Huskers are 5-5-0 all-time against teams from the Pac-10.

Scouting the Arizona State Sun Devils
The Sun Devils come to Nebraska with a 4-1-1 record and will play at Creighton on Friday night before making their way to Lincoln. Junior midfielder Alexandra Elston has three goals to lead the team, including both scores in ASU's most recent win over San Diego State (2-1 OT) on Sept. 11. The Sun Devils nearly knocked off No. 9 Virginia, tying the Cavaliers (1-1 2OT) on Sept. 6. Arizona State's lone loss came to Big 12 opponent Kansas, 1-0, on Aug. 30 in Knoxville, Tenn.

After returning nine starters from last year's team that went 8-8-4 (2-6-1 Pac-10), the Sun Devils are looking for a big season in 2009. Head Coach Kevin Boyd is in his third season in Tempe and holds a 22-18-6 record. He spent 10 seasons as the head coach at California, leading the Bears to the NCAA Tournament eight times. Boyd's time at Arizona State has been highlighted by a win over defending national champion USC last season.

Marlborough Claims Big 12 Weekly Honors, Leads Nation in Goals, Points
Freshman Morgan Marlborough has turned in some of the most impressive offensive numbers in school history and currently leads the NCAA in numerous categories. Through six games, the forward from Lee's Summit, Mo., is ranked No. 1 in the country in goals (10), goals per game (1.667), points (24) and points per game (4.00). For her efforts, she was named Big 12 Offensive Player and Newcomer of the Week on Tuesday, becoming just the third player in conference history to earn two awards in the same week.

Although only mid-September, Marlborough already sits No. 6 all-time among NU freshmen for points and goals in a season. She tied the single-game school record with four goals in Nebraska's 7-1 win over Akron on Sept. 13, also a mark tied with five other players for most goals in a women's college soccer game this season.

Marlborough has shown a well-rounded offensive game, indicated by four assists that ties her for the second-most in the Big 12 Conference. She also holds two of the top three high-point games in the league this season (8 vs. Akron; 6 vs. North Dakota).

Nebraska is 4-0-1 when Marlborough finds the back of the net.

Macdonald Leading the Big 12 in Two Categories
Junior goalkeeper Tara Macdonald remains among the conference's top goalies in 2009 with an .862 save percentage and 5.00 save-per-game average. Both are Big 12 bests, while she also holds the seventh-best goals-against average at 0.99, giving up four scores through six games. Macdonad's nine saves at Villanova on Aug. 30 remains as the highest single-game save total in the Big 12 Conference this season.

Thomas Building on Big Freshman Season
After being named to the 2008 Big 12 All-Newcomer team, sophomore Molly Thomas has quietly built on that success with strong numbers through the first month of the 2009 season. Thomas has already scored four times this fall after totaling five all of last season. She had her second two-goal game of the year in Nebraska's 7-1 romp over Akron on Sept. 13, while also adding one assist. The Omaha native's four goals are tied for fifth in the Big 12 Conference, just ahead of junior teammate Colleen Goetzmann with three (tied-7th).

Nebraska Scoring the Net in 2009
The 2009 Huskers are currently tied for third in the NCAA with an average of 4.33 goals per game (26 goals). With 20 goals at home, the Huskers are approaching the Nebraska Soccer Field record for season goals (26 in 2005 and 2006) with eight home games remaining on the schedule. NU's 20 goals in the past three games are the most by a Husker team since 2000.

Review: Marlborough Ties School Record as Husker Roll to Third Straight Victory
Freshman forward Morgan Marlborough tied the single-game school record with four goals as she led the Husker soccer team (4-1-1) to a 7-1 win over Akron (2-2-1) on Sept. 13 at the Nebraska Soccer Field.

Marlborough was nearly unstoppable versus the Zips, scoring four times on six shots to match Kim Essenger (vs. Baylor; Nov. 7, 1997) and Meghan Anderson (vs. Oral Roberts; Sept. 3, 1999) for the most goals in a single game in Husker history.

Marlborough struck early and often, as she scored her first goal just 3:25 into the contest when she slipped past the Akron goalkeeper at the top of the penalty box. The freshman added her second score following a corner kick midway through the first half, before accounting for both of Nebraska's goals to begin the final 45 minutes. Seniors Shay Powell and Lauren Isenhower assisted on the second-half goals as each sent the ball to Marlborough from the corner to help the Huskers mount a commanding 6-0 lead.

Nebraska held a 4-0 halftime advantage after senior defender Carly Peetz cleaned up a loose ball in front of the net following a corner kick with 2:54 remaining.

Sophomore forward Molly Thomas had an impressive outing as well, scoring two goals on six shots. A member of the 2008 Big 12 All-Newcomer team, Thomas gave Nebraska a 2-0 lead 6 1/2 minutes into the game when she took a pass from junior Brittany Goosen and fired a shot past the Akron goalkeeper from the right side of the penalty box.

Thomas added a second score off another long assist when junior goalkeeper Jessica Mills sent a free kick to the top of the penalty box where Thomas beat the Zip goalkeeper for Nebraska's final goal of the game.

Up Next: Huskers Travel to No. 20 Colorado, Texas Tech to Open Big 12 Play
Nebraska hits the ground running in Big 12 play as the Huskers open at No. 20 Colorado on Sept. 25 at 5 p.m. After battling the Buffs, NU will head south to take on Texas Tech in Lubbock on Sept. 27 at Noon.

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