Nebraska Captures Big 12 Tournament Soccer Championship

San Antonio, Texas - The University of Nebraska soccer team capped a tumultuous Big 12 season with a 1-0 win over No. 3 Texas A&M to capture the conference tournament championship in front of a crowd of 2,638 at the Blossom Soccer Stadium in San Antonio, Texas.

"This is a great win," Coach John Walker said.  "It was nice to comeback and we showed a lot of character.  A lot of people have written us off in the conference and we came back and beat the two teams that beat us this season.  It was our finest victory."

The Huskers got off to a great start, with Jenna Cooper scoring the game-winning goal seven minutes into the game.  Christine Latham made it past the Aggie defense and the Texas A&M goalkeeper came out to meet her and a foul was called to set up a direct free kick.

Cooper took the kick which was deflected off of the A&M wall back to Cooper who put it back into the right corner of the net past an outstretched A&M goalkeeper.

<?xml:namespace prefix="st1" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"?>Nebraska (14-5-3) has captured five Big 12 Tournament crowns in the last seven years, including four out of the last five.  The Huskers avenged their last two losses to Texas A&M, with a  3-2 loss coming in Lincoln earlier this season and a 3-2 loss to knock them out of the conference tournament in 2002.

Both teams played outstanding defense in the first half, thwarting a combined 13 shots in the first period with only five shots on goal for both teams.

Nebraska goalkeeper Erin Miller made a great play with just 11 minutes remaining in the first half, as Andrea Starns fired a shot towards the goal and Miller tipped it up and the ball hit the crossbar and cleared any threat of an Aggie score.

About 10 minutes into the second half, Latham had a chance to increase the NU lead to 2-0 when she beat three Texas A&M defenders and got off a shot that lost some speed and Spisak made a great save to keep the score at 1-0.

With 10 minutes remaining, Texas A&M loaded the box with players and a foul was called just before the ball was knocked past Miller, keeping the Aggies scoreless.

With 8:34 on the clock Texas A&M Coach G. Guerrieri received a red card and was ejected from the game.

The Aggies had a decisive advantage in shots, outshooting the Huskers, 19-10, for the contest, and A&M posted eight shots on goal to Nebraska's three.  Miller grabbed eight saves on the day, while Spisak snagged two.

Latham was named the Big12 Tournament offensive MVP for the second time in four years, while Harms was honored as the Big 12 Tournament defensive MVP.

Nebraska will await its seed for the NCAA Tournament, as the NCAA Soccer selection show will air on ESPN News at 3:30 p.m. CST.  The first round of the NCAA Tournament will take place Friday, Nov. 15.

ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
GK: Erin Miller, Nebraska
D: Christy Harms, Nebraska; Jenna Cooper, Nebraska; Jessica Martin, Texas A&M,
MF: Kristen Strutz, Texas A&M; Carrie Berend, Texas A&M, Lauren Field, Texas
F: Christine Latham, Nebraska; Kelly McDonald, Texas; Heather Ragsdale, Texas A&M;
Offensive MVP: Christine Latham, Nebraska
Defensive MVP: Christy Harms, Nebraska