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Northwestern at Nebraska
Thursday, Sept. 26 • 6 p.m. (CT)
Barbara Hibner Stadium
Lincoln, Neb.
» Postgame Fireworks
» TV: Big Ten Network
» Live Stats: Huskers.com/LiveStats
» Tickets: Huskers.com/Tickets
» Twitter Updates: @NebraskaSoccer
Illinois at Nebraska
Sunday, Sept. 29 • 1:05 p.m. (CT)
Barbara Hibner Stadium
Lincoln, Neb.
» Pups at the Pitch
» Video Stream: BTN+
» Live Stats: Huskers.com/LiveStats
» Tickets: Huskers.com/Tickets
» Twitter Updates: @NebraskaSoccer
The Nebraska soccer team (2-5-2, 1-1-0 Big Ten) hosts a pair of conference foes this week when Northwestern and Illinois visit Hibner Stadium.
The Huskers and Wildcats (2-5-1, 0-1-0 Big Ten) square off Thursday at 6 p.m. (CT) on the Big Ten Network. Dean Linke and Jackie Manny will call the action on BTN. The first 500 fans into the game will get a soccer scarf, and after the game, fans can enjoy a fireworks show.
On Sunday, Nebraska hosts Illinois (7-1-0, 1-0-0 Big Ten), starting at 1:05 p.m. Fans are welcome to bring their dogs to the match as part of "Pups at the Pitch," which features a Husker dog leash giveaway for the first 250 fans. The match will be streamed live on BTN+ with a subscription required to watch.
Fans can purchase tickets for both matches this week by calling 1-800-8 BIG RED or by visiting Huskers.com/tickets. The match can also be tracked by following @NebraskaSoccer on Twitter or via live stats on Huskers.com.
Last Time Out
The Huskers split their matches during the first weekend of Big Ten play. Last Friday, NU fell to Purdue, 1-0, before responding with a 2-0 win over Indiana on Sunday.
Next Up
The Huskers hit the road to continue Big Ten play next week when they visit Iowa (Thursday, Oct. 3 at 7 p.m. CT) and Michigan (Sunday, Oct. 6 at noon CT).
Kicking Off
• Nebraska is ranked 76th in the first RPI, released by the NCAA on Monday. The Huskers have the 11th toughest schedule in the nation, having already faced three teams in this week's top 10 of the RPI (No. 2 Clemson, No. 6 USC and No. 8 Kansas). Sunday's opponent, Illinois, is ranked 10th in the RPI.
• Nebraska's devoted fan base has continued its strong attendance numbers at Hibner Stadium this season. In four home games this season, NU has welcomed 4,680 fans, an average of 1,170 per contest. This average ranks 14th nationally and leads the Big Ten, as Michigan ranks second in the conference with an average of 817 fans per game. NU has ranked in the top 25 nationally and in the top two of the Big Ten in average attendance during all four years at Hibner Stadium.
Scouting the Northwestern Wildcats
• Northwestern is 2-5-1 this season with an 0-1-0 mark in Big Ten play. Last weekend, the Wildcats fell to Illinois, 3-1, in their conference opener. Northwestern enters the week on a three-game losing streak.
• Last season, Northwestern went 10-5-4 overall en route to a spot in the NCAA Tournament. The Wildcats finished ninth in the Big Ten with a 4-4-3 mark in conference play.
• Nebraska leads the all-time series against Northwestern, 6-2-3, dating back to the first meeting between the schools in 1995. The two teams last met in 2017 in Evanston, Ill., as the Wildcats emerged with a 1-0 victory.
• Head Coach Michael Moynihan is 73-59-22 in his eighth season at Northwestern. He holds a career record of 267-143-60 in his 23rd year overall. Moynihan is assisted by David Nikolic and Paul Jennison.
• Players to Watch
» #4 Regan Steigleder (Junior MF): Has one goal and one assist this season
» #99 Julietta Thron (Sophomore D): Has one assist this season
» #1 Mackenzie Wood (Sophomore GK): Has 24 saves this season
Scouting the Illinois Fighting Illini
• Illinois is 7-1 this season with a 1-0 record in Big Ten play after defeating Northwestern, 3-1, in its conference opener last weekend. The Fighting Illini enter the week on a four-game winning streak, their lone loss of the season coming against San Francisco on Sept. 1.
• Illinois visits Iowa on Thursday night before facing the Huskers on Sunday.
• Illinois is receiving votes in the latest United Soccer Coaches Poll, released on Tuesday. The Fighting Illini have 26 votes, equivalent to the No. 29 ranking.
• Last season, Illinois went 11-8-1 overall and posted a 6-5-0 record in Big Ten play to tie for fifth in the conference standings.
• Illinois leads the all-time series against Nebraska, 7-2-0, dating back to the first meeting between the schools in 2004. Last season, Illinois escaped Lincoln with a 2-1 win.
• Head Coach Janet Rayfield is 200-137-33 in her 18th season at Illinois. She holds a career record of 245-201-40 in her 24 year overall. Rayfield is assisted by Jeff Freeman and Lisa Lubke.
• Players to Watch
» #10 Breslin Hope (Junior MF): Four goals and three assists this season
» #15 Kelly Maday (Senior F): Two goals and a team-high four assists this season
» #20 Makenna Silber (Sophomore F): Four goals this season and a team-high 26 shots
