Huskers Fall to Irish On Penalty Kicks

Lincoln - The Nebraska soccer team saw its season end as the Huskers fell to Notre Dame in the NCAA quarterfinals, 4-3, on penalty kicks after playing to a 1-1 tie after four overtimes Sunday afternoon at the Abbott Sports Complex.The Irish, who advance to meet top-ranked Santa Clara next Friday in the semifinals of the NCAA Women's College Cup, moves to 20-3-1 on the year, while the Huskers finish the season with a 22-1-2 mark. It is Notre Dame' fifth trip to the Women's College Cup semifinals in the past six years and the third straight year that the Irish defeated NU in the NCAA Tournament. Both previous matches were third round matches in South Bend.

After four overtimes and 150 minutes of action, the score was tied at 1-1, sending the match into a shootout. Trailing 3-2 after Jen Grubb broke the tie, junior midfielder Jenny Benson scored to even the match after five shooters.

Notre Dame regained the lead, at 4-3, as senior defender Kelly Lindsey scored past NU keeper Karina LeBlanc. The goal was the first for Lindsey, a native of Omaha, this season. The Huskers had a chance to continue the shootout, but Irish goalkeeper LaKeysia Beene stopped Amy Walsh's shot, ending the match and NU's season.

"This is one way you hate to lose," said Benson said. "Any soccer player would rather play until they can't move, than lose like this. They are a great team, and you can't take anything away from them. It was a great soccer match between two physical, good teams, but the luck didn't run our way. We lose a couple of really great seniors, but we will bounce back and go for it next year."

"We are excited to come in here and get a win," Notre Dame Coach Randy Waldrum said. "These two teams are both final four teams. It's a shame we met this team in the bracket."

Today's match, played in front of an Abbott Sports Complex record crowd of 3,702, started quickly for the Irish as Jenny Streiffer scored her 19th goal of the season, off assists from Mia Sarkesian and Anne Makinen, just 1:30 into the match to take a 1-0 lead.

The Huskers, making their second NCAA quarterfinal appearance in four years, would respond 16 minutes later as Benson found Kelly Rheem for the equalizer at 17:07.

Rheem's goal would be the last by either team, as the Huskers and Irish battled for nearly 133 scoreless minutes until the shootout. The match was the longest match in both programs' history.

LeBlanc, who made 10 saves, and Beene, who finished with seven saves, were both magnificent in the match, as the keepers repeatedly made spectacular saves to keep the score tied at 1-1.

"I thought both teams had some good chances to finish it off. It was an excellent game between two well-matched teams," Nebraska Coach John Walker said.