Huskers Claim Third Straight Victory with Win Over Drake

Lincoln - Fueled by goals from four different players, the Nebraska soccer team (3-0-2) cruised past Drake (2-3-1), 4-1 on Sunday to pick up its third straight victory and remain unbeaten on the season. 

A season-high 551 fans caught the action at the Nebraska Soccer Field as the Huskers fired a season best 21 shots to Drake’s 13, and enjoyed 11 shots on goal while holding the Bulldogs to two.<?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office"?>

 

<?xml:namespace prefix="st1" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"?>Nebraska’s victory was highlighted by several firsts for the unbeaten Huskers, including first career goals for freshmen Brittney Lanier and Julie Berkshire.  The pair both found the back of the net in the second half of the contest, with Lanier’s proving to be the game-winning goal.

 

Berkshire’s first career goal was matched by a first career assist from sophomore McKensie Kirchner.

 

While the Huskers were racking up points all over the pitch, the Nebraska goalkeepers were also undergoing some novel experiences of their own.  With just under 10 minutes remaining in the game, redshirt freshman Brittany Pfeil took control of the net from sophomore starter Jamie Klages.  Pfeil did not see any time in the net during her freshman season in 2005.  Unfortunately, the first shot Pfeil would see as a Husker found her face-to-face with a penalty kick that slipped by to give Drake its lone goal. 

 

Head Coach John Walker utilized a range of players from the NU roster, including seven newcomers.  In all, 22 of Nebraska’s 23 healthy players got on the pitch for the Huskers in the win.

 

NU found its rhythm early in the match and kept a consistent tempo throughout.  Nebraska took advantage of its stamina and aggression from the start, earning nine shots in the first half alone.  One of those shots resulted in NU’s first goal as senior Brittany Timko netted her fourth goal of the weekend after picking up a hat trick in Nebraska’s 3-2 win over North Texas on Friday.  With less than 20 minutes left in the first half, the Huskers drew a foul just outside the 18-yard box that gave Timko the opportunity to blast a free kick past the outstretched gloves of Drake goalkeeper Jenny Schroeder.

 

Timko has now scored at least one point in eight consecutive games dating back to the 2005 season.  The Nebraska record for games with at least one point is 12, which was recorded by Kim Engesser from Sept. 28 to Nov. 23 in 1997.

 

Timko’s score gave Nebraska great momentum for the start of the second period and it didn’t take long for the Huskers to strike again.  This time it was Lanier who found the net at 49:07 on a cross from sophomore Aysha Jamani to put Nebraska up 2-0.  The assist was Jamani’s third of the weekend and nearly matches her 2005 season total of four assists.

 

Berkshire was up next for the Huskers as the Omaha, Neb., native got a foot on a feed from Kirchner that beat the Drake defense and gave Nebraska a comfortable 3-0 lead.

 

But Nebraska wasn’t done yet.  Taking a cue from the Husker newcomers, sophomore Selenia Iacchelli dribbled her way through a school of Bulldog defenders at 84:21 to earn her first goal of the season.  Iacchelli led the team in both shots and shots and goal for the afternoon, with five shots, three of which were on goal.

 

The Huskers lost the shutout late in the game, as an NU mistake in the box led to the penalty kick from Drake’s Sarah Foote that snuck past Pfeil at 87:38 for the final goal of the contest.

 

Nebraska is back in action far quicker than normal this week as it plays one of two mid-week games on its schedule this season.  The Huskers host Western Carolina on Tuesday evening at 5 p.m. at the Nebraska Soccer Field, before gearing up for their weekend home schedule that includes a 5 p.m. kickoff against Central Michigan on Friday, Sept. 15, and a 1 p.m. start against TCU on Sunday, Sept. 17.