Saunders scores two as Huskers take out Oklahoma State

Husker sophomore midfielder Kori Saunders scored two goals and junior forward Kelly Rheem added a goal and an assist as the second-ranked Nebraska soccer team defeated Oklahoma State, 6-1, before a crowd of 621 at the Abbott Sports Complex on Friday evening. NU improved to 15-0-0 overall and 6-0-0 in the Big 12 Conference, while the Cowgirls fell to 3-12-0 and 0-6-0.

Rheem put NU on the board at 2:20 on a cross from senior defender Jenny Benson. Sophomore defender Breanna Boyd, junior forward Becky Preston and Saunders added three more goals in a 10-minute span just before intermission, giving Nebraska a 4-0 halftime lead. The Huskers out shot the Cowgirls 23-1 in the first half, and 43-2 overall. NU outcornered OSU, 15-1.

Saunders added her second goal of the game, and second of the season, at 65:09 on a pass from sophomore forward Brooke Jones. Saunders, who missed the Huskers' first 10 games after falling through a glass table and injuring her back, has now scored seven points in five games.

"What I liked with Kori was the fact that she was dominant in the air," Nebraska Head Coach John Walker said. "The goals were good, but she was really a physical presence."

Nebraska senior goalkeeper Karina LeBlanc, who improved to 15-0 on the season, played just over 70 scoreless minutes, before sophomore Leah Lamale entered the game. LeBlanc lowered her conference-leading goals-against average to 0.30.

Oklahoma State freshman forward Joanne Edwards put the Cowgirls on the board at 71:58, before Nebraska freshman Lindsey Greenwood scored her first collegiate goal on a penalty kick at 89:35 for the final margin.

"I was especially pleased with the way the freshmen played in the second half," Walker said. "It was good for the girls to compete at a good level and get some quality minutes. That's what they need to develop."

The Huskers will return to action on Sunday when they play host to Oklahoma (7-6-1 and 2-3-1) in a 1 p.m. contest at the Abbott Sports Complex, located 1 ½ miles north of Cornhusker Highway on 70th Street. The Sooners fell at Iowa State on Friday.

 

Scoring Summary

Time	Player (Team)	Assists
2:20	Kelly Rheem (Nebraska)	Shannon Tanaka, Jenny Benson
19:28	Breanna Boyd (Nebraska)	Meghan Anderson
21:15	Becky Preston (Nebraska)
28:15	Kori Saunders (Nebraska)	Rheem
65:09	Saunders (Nebraska)	Chrsity Harms, Brooke Jones
71:58	Joanne Edwards (Oklahoma State)	Andi Lute
89:35	Lindsay Greenwood (Nebraska)

Shots: Nebraska 43, Oklahoma State 2

Shots on Goal: Nebraska 17, Oklahoma State 1

Corner Kicks: Nebraska 15, Oklahoma State 1

Goalkeeper Saves: Oklahoma State 11 (Katherine Doud 4; Laurel Catlett-King, 2; Team 1), Nebraska 0

Fouls: Oklahoma State 13, Nebraska 5

Attendance: 621