Huskers Let Loose in 5-1 Win Over Iowa State

<?xml:namespace prefix="st1" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"?>Lincoln, Neb. - Vern Fitzgerald and Ashley Carter netted two goals apiece to lead the Nebraska soccer team (6-2-1) to a dominating 5-1 victory over Iowa State (3-3-2) Friday night at the Abbott Sports Complex.<?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"?>

 

"We had better play, better dribbling, better crossing, and a better aggressive mentality in the box tonight," Coach John Walker said. "They (Fitzgerald and Carter) both had solid games. Vern made a lot of forward runs and she kept her eye on some of those crosses and I think Ashley is getting better every game."

 

Fitzgerald got the ball rolling in at the 4:24 mark when she got a short cross from Kari Hogan on the right side and headed the ball into the net for her second goal of the season and opened the flood gates on the Iowa State goalkeeper.

 

"This is the way we wanted to start conference play," Fitzgerald said. "With my goals, I was just there to finish them. Kari and Ashley were the ones who beat the girls, and I was just at the right place at the right time, but I was glad to get them."

 

The Lincoln East graduate was involved in the second scoring play of the game when she and Hogan assisted on Carter's first goal of the contest in the 27th minute.

 

Just before halftime two juniors got into the action when Iowa was called for a foul and Jenna Cooper sailed the free kick across the field and set up a perfect shot for Lindsey Ingram who knocked the ball into the left back corner of the net.

 

Nebraska went to the locker room riding a 3-0 lead, but could have been up four goals, as a score by Ashley Carter was called back due to an Iowa State foul before the shot was taken.

 

The Cyclones came out of halftime fired up and ready to take the momentum.  Just over two minutes into the half Nebraska was called for a foul and Kate Kirwan launched a ball that bent around the NU wall and past Husker goalkeeper Brooke Bredenberg to put ISU on the scoreboard.

 

Fitzgerald and Carter put the finishing touches on the win with 15 minutes remaining in the contest. Fitzgerald put in a short shot at the 75:35 mark when the ISU goalkeeper came out of the net to play a shot, and Carter tapped the ball to Fitzgerald who easily placed it into the net.

 

Carter continued to pressure and picked up her fourth career goal at the 80:36 mark on Hogan's third assist of the contest on another close-range shot from just outside the goal area.

 

"It's awesome. My goals were pretty much given to me," Carter said. "I was lucky that I was on the other end of them. It was a mind set. The last game we had 30 shots and only finished two and this week we played a better team, so it was definitely a mind set."

 

Nebraska had another scoring chance in the second half by freshman Jessie Bruch that was called off with just 24 minutes remaining in the game. The goal was revoked because of an offside penalty on the Huskers.

 

While the offense played its best game of the season, the Nebraska defense played solid as well, allowing only allowed four shots on goal by the Cyclones. Bredenberg notched two saves on the evening, while Katie Wright played almost 20 minutes and did not have to register a save. Bredenberg picked up the win, improving her record to 5-1-1 on the season and Beth Chapman took the loss for Iowa State.

 

Aly Scace made a nice defensive play in the second half, recording a team save on a ball that slipped past Wright.

 

Nebraska outshot Iowa State 23-12 for the contest and took an 11-3 edge in corner kicks.

 

The Huskers continue the homestand Sunday afternoon when they take on Missouri at 1 p.m. at the Abbott Sports Complex.