Nebraska Faces Strong Weekend Foes

The Nebraska soccer team continues an eight-game season-opening homestand by hosting Eastern Illinois at 7 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 3, and Purdue at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 5.

Both teams advanced to the NCAA Tournament in 2003 and should provide tough early season competition for the Huskers.

Eastern Illinois was the 2003 Ohio Valley Conference champion and lost to Missouri in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The Panthers opened the 2004 season with a 2-0 win over Evansville before dropping a 3-0 decision to second-ranked Notre Dame.

Purdue finished third in the Big Ten in 2003, but advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament before losing to eventual champion North Carolina. The Boilermakers went 2-0 last weekend, defeating Cincinnati, 2-1, and New Mexico, 3-0.

The Huskers split a pair of games last weekend to open the season. NU lost a tough 1-0 decision to the defending national champion North Carolina Tar Heels, but rebounded two days later with a 4-2 come-from-behind victory over in-state rival Creighton.

Against Creighton, junior Katie Bunkers, sophomore Tanya Dennis and freshman Jetta Sadusky each scored their first career goals.

With two wins this weekend, Nebraska would be off to its best four-game start since 2001 when the Huskers won five straight to open the season. NU started 2-1-1 in 2002 and 2-2-0 in 2003.

Live stats for both matches this weekend, as well as live audio, can be found on Huskers.com.

Scouting Eastern Illinois
Eastern Illinois opened the season with a 2-0 victory over Evansville before falling at second-ranked Notre Dame, 3-0.

Against Evansville, Audra Frericks and Michelle Steinhaus each scored goals as EIU outshot Evansville 19-9.

Against Notre Dame, the Panthers relied heavily on their defense. Tiffany Groene made 18 saves in goal as Eastern Illinois was outshot 38-2 and gave up 14 corner kicks while collecting only one.

In net, Groene has gotten off to a good start in 2004. She has played all 180 minutes, recording 22 saves en route to posting a goals-against average of 1.50.

Friday’s meeting will be the first-ever meeting between Eastern Illinois and Nebraska.

Scouting Purdue
Purdue got off to a fast start in its opening weekend, picking up victories over Cininnati and New Mexico.

Against Cincinnati, the Boilermakers scored twice in a 2-1 victory. Purdue outshot the Bearcats 19-10.

Against New Mexico, Purdue scored on three of its six shots on goal in a 3-0 victory. For the game, Purdue outshot New Mexico, 16-9.

For the season, Purdue has outshot its opponents 35-19. Parrissa Eyorokon is the leading point scorer for the Boilermakers. Despite not starting either of Purdue’s first two games, Eyorokon has both a goal and an assist for three total points.

In net, Maureen Carey and Lauren Mason have each started a game. Carey shut out New Mexico, while Mason held Cincinnati to one goal while recording five saves.

Last Time We Met
Nebraska and Purdue have met only once on the soccer field. The Huskers hosted the Boilermakers in 2000 and came away with a 4-1 victory.

No member of the current Nebraska squad was on the roster for that meeting.

Huskers Open 1-1-0
Nebraska played defending national champion and preseason No. 1 North Carolina scoreless for 80 minutes before the Tar Heels scored to post a 1-0 victory in both teams’ season opener on Aug. 27.

The Huskers gave a great effort, but North Carolina’s offensive attack proved too much in the end. UNC outshot Nebraska 18-3, but was held off the scoreboard until Mary McDowell found the back of the net in the 81st minute.

After the tough loss to North Carolina, Nebraska appeared a bit sluggish in falling behind 2-0 to Creighton. The Bluejays scored twice in a span of five minutes, with both goals coming from 35 yards out.

Junior Nikki Baker, the Huskers’ leading returning goal scorer, was able to find the back of the net to pull Nebraska to within one at halftime.

In the second half, NU exploded for three goals while shutting Creighton down. Junior Katie Bunkers, sophomore Tanya Dennis and freshman Jetta Sadusky each scored the first goal of their careers in the second half, as the Huskers fought back for a 4-2 victory.

Trio of Firsts
Three Huskers scored goals for the first time in their careers last weekend in the Huskers’ 4-2 victory over Creighton on Aug. 29.

Sophomore Tanya Dennis tied the game at two when she scored from 25 yards out. Dennis, who missed almost all of the 2003 season because of her commitments to the Canadian National Team and an injury suffered at the World Cup, scored on her first shot as a Husker.

Junior Katie Bunkers, a key defender for Nebraska, got a rare chance to be a part of the offensive attack. The Sioux Falls, S.D., native scored on a header off a corner kick to give Nebraska a 3-2 lead. Bunkers’ shot was just the second of her career.

Freshman Jetta Sadusky, playing in just her second game, gave Nebraska its final goal. In her first shot as a Husker, Sadusky found the ball in the box and scored after senior Brooke Bredenberg hit the crossbar on a free kick.

Home Sweet Home
Nebraska, which is set to play a school-record 13 home games this season, is in the middle of a season-opening eight-game homestand.

The Huskers play at the Abbott Sports Complex until Sept. 21, when they head to Creighton for their first road game of the season. In the regular season, NU has only six road games scheduled.

Attendance Report
A season-opening crowd of 3,650 watched North Carolina defeat Nebraska, 1-0. The crowd was the second-largest opening-game crowd in school history and the third-largest overall crowd.

North Carolina, a perennial national title contender, has proven to be a big draw for the Big Red. In its only two visits to Lincoln, UNC has attracted the largest and third-largest crowds in school history. In 2002, a school-record 4,830 fans watched Nebraska tie North Carolina 1-1 in the season opener.

Immediate Impact
This year’s freshman class has already made an impact. Sari Raber has started both games at defender for Nebraska and Jetta Sadusky has one of the Huskers’ four goals on the season.

In NU’s opening weekend, Raber, Sadusky and Meghan Hungerford each saw action. The 2004 Nebraska recruiting class was tabbed as the sixth-best group in America.

On the Air
All of Nebraska’s home games, including Friday’s 7 p.m. game with Eastern Illinois and Sunday’s 1 p.m. contest with Purdue, will be carried by KRNU 90.3 and will be available on Huskers.com.

Up Next
Nebraska will remain home next weekend, welcoming a pair of west coast teams to Lincoln. The Huskers will host Pacific on Friday, Sept. 10 at 7 p.m. before hosting Stanford on Sunday, Sept. 12 at 1 p.m.

Both games will be carried on KRNU and will be available on Huskers.com.

Head Coach John Walker
Nebraska Head Coach John Walker is in his 11th year as coach of the Huskers. Since starting the program in 1994, Walker has posted an impressive 173-44-8 record.

His .788 winning percentage is third among all Division I active coaches and his 173 victories rank 26th among active coaches.

Walker’s teams have won at least one game in the NCAA Tournament for eight consecutive seasons and have finished the season in the NSCAA/adidas top 25 poll in each of the last eight seasons.

Under Walker, the Huskers have become a perennial power. He has led the team to three Big 12 regular-season titles and five Big 12 Tournament titles since the inception of the Big 12 in 1996, including a sweep of both titles in 1999 and 2000.

Take Five
Treat yourself and up to four other Husker fans to a great ticket offer during the 2004 Nebraska soccer season with Nebraska’s new "Take Five" ticket package.

For any single regular-season Husker soccer game, fans can purchase one ticket good for five general admissions at a cost of just $10. Fans can purchase the "Nebraska Take Five" ticket package by calling the Nebraska Athletic Ticket Office at 1-800-8BIGRED or at the Abbott Sports Complex on the day of the game.

The Streak
The 2004 Nebraska soccer team is looking to continue an impressive streak that began in 1996.

In every season since 1996--a streak totaling eight seasons--the Huskers have not only made an appearance in the NCAA Tournament, but have won at least one game to advance to the second round. The 2004 Huskers are looking to make it nine straight this season.

New Staff Titles
The Nebraska soccer program announced the creation of two new positions and also announced title changes for two other support staffers.

Chris Redhage, who had been a volunteer assistant coach, is now the Team Administrative Assistant.

Wanda Bowder, formally the soccer office secretary, is now the Office Administrative Assistant.

Former Husker Christine Latham, who had been helping out the coaching staff, is now officially a volunteer coach for NU. Senior Iman Haynes, who is unable to compete in her senior season due to a knee injury, will be the Undergraduate Assistant Coach for Nebraska.

Finally, Mike Ballmer, who has been with the soccer program, is officially listed as the team’s equipment manager for the 2004 season.

Directions to the Abbott Sports Complex
The Ethel S. Abbott Sports Complex is located 1-1/2 miles north of Cornhusker Highway on 70th Street and is on the northeast edge of the city of Lincoln.

To reach it from the Lincoln Municipal Airport, turn right on Northwest 12th Street as you drive out of the airport. Northwest 12th Street becomes Cornhusker Highway. Follow Cornhusker Highway east until 70th Street. Make a left turn onto 70th Street and follow it 1 1/2 miles north.

From Omaha's Eppley Airfield, follow the signs to downtown Omaha and I-480 south. Take I-480 west to I-80, then take I-80 west to Lincoln. Take the 56th Street exit and follow south 1/4 mile, make a left turn onto Arbor Street, follow 1-1/4 miles to 70th Street, then make a right-hand turn onto 70th Street. The Abbott Sports Complex is 1/4 mile ahead on the left.