Nebraska Finishes Regular Season against Iowa State

Lincoln-The Husker soccer team returns home to conclude its regular season against Iowa State on Friday at 4 p.m. at the Nebraska Soccer Field.

Nebraska (5-10-3, 1-8-0 Big 12) endured two losses last weekend. The Huskers doubled the Jayhawks' shot total, 22-10, in Lawrence last Friday, but Kansas came away with the 3-1 win. On Sunday, NU struck first with a Shay Powell goal in the 28th minute, but could not seal the deal again as Missouri won 3-1 in Columbia.

NU will look to finish the regular season on a positive note against Iowa State this Friday. The Huskers have a chance to put the Cyclones in a tough position. ISU has clinched a spot in the Big 12 Championships, but currently sits tied with Oklahoma State for eighth place. A Cyclone loss could force them into a first-round matchup against No. 3 Texas A&M in the conference tournament.

A Husker win will also allow NU to finish with a winning record at home this season, as Nebraska is currently 4-3-2 at the Nebraska Soccer Field.

Scouting Iowa State (8-6-3, 4-4-1 Big 12)
Iowa State has endured an up and down season during 2007. The Cyclones clinched a bid to the Big 12 Championships last Friday with their win over Missouri, but they currently sit tied with Oklahoma State for eighth place in the conference. ISU is just 4-4-1 in Big 12 play, but two of those wins have come against ranked teams. The Cyclones beat No. 16 Oklahoma State 3-0 on Sept. 28 and, ironically, beat Missouri last Friday when the Tigers were ranked No. 16. ISU's one tie was against No. 3 Texas on Oct. 5.

However, the Cyclones also had a three-game conference losing streak, including a 2-0 defeat by Oklahoma, who will not make the Big 12 Championships this year. ISU now faces a possible first-round matchup against No. 3 Texas A&M in the conference tournament. Iowa State lost to the Aggies 1-0 on Oct. 19.

The Cyclones have shown a balanced attack throughout the season as eight different players have scored goals and 12 different players have notched an assist. Sophomore midfielder Elise Reid leads the team with five goals, while Erin Witte and Jordan Bishop both have three. Senior forward Brittanie Waddell has four assists on the season. ISU has scored 10 goals in each half thus far.

Sophomore goalkeeper Ann Gleason has recorded all the minutes between the pipes for the Cyclones. She has made 93 saves on the season and is ranked near the top of the Big 12 in several categories. Her six shutouts rank second, while her save percentage of 0.86 puts her first in the conference.

Husker History versus Iowa State
The Cyclones are another team that Nebraska has dominated in the past, but recent matches have been closer. NU holds a 10-2-0 all-time record against ISU, as the Huskers won their first 10 consecutive matches against the Cyclones. Iowa State has rebounded to win the last two contests. The matchup has typically been a high-scoring shootout as one of the teams has scored at least three goals in nine of the team's 12 games.

Last year was no exception as the Cyclones won 3-2 in dramatic fashion in double overtime in Ames. The defeat was NU's first overtime loss of 2006, and slipped the Huskers to 6-2-2 overall and 1-1 in the Big 12, while the Cyclones improved to 5-6 overall and 1-1 in the league.

Nebraska enjoyed a 2-1 lead in the final minute of regulation before a Cyclone penalty kick forced NU's fourth overtime game of the season, tying the 2003 squad for the most overtime games in a season. The game marked the first loss by the Huskers in overtime since losing to Texas, 1-0, in 2005.

The overtime loss spoiled another outstanding performance from Brittany Timko, who assisted on the Huskers' second goal to set a school record by scoring at least one point in her 13th straight game. Shay Powell and Carly Peetz both recorded a goal for NU in the game, while Jamie Klages made nine saves in net.

Hornbacher's History
Nebraska has a little extra history when it battles the Cyclones on Friday night. Husker head coach John Walker will be facing his former player in Cyclone head coach Rebecca Hornbacher. In her sixth season with ISU, Hornbacher led the 2005 squad to unprecedented success as she was named Big 12 Conference Coach of the Year. During the season, she guided the Cyclones to the program's first-ever NCAA Tournament bid and a tie for second in the regular-season Big 12 Conference standings, the highest in school history.

Hornbacher began her college career at the University of Virginia, but, after two seasons, transferred to John Walker's Huskers. She went on to become one of the top goalkeepers in the Big 12. She was a two-time second-team all-conference selection for NU and still holds the school record for wins in a season with 23 in 1996. Hornbacher left her mark on the Husker record book on her way to earning numerous national awards, including All-America and all-central honors, and a career in the WUSA.

Hornbacher is not the only Cyclone coach with Nebraska roots as associate head coach Scott Ebke has spent time with the Huskers. Ebke served for three years at NU as a student and volunteer assistant coach. The Huskers advanced to the NCAA Tournament each year of his tenure. Ebke was with the Huskers during Hornbacher's final season.

Seniors Say Goodbye
Friday's game will be senior night as the Huskers host their final home game of the 2007 season. Nebraska sports only two seniors, Jessie Bruch and Abby Penas, on their roster of 31. Bruch boasts 22 total goals and 5 assists entering Friday, while Penas has been a steadfast player in NU's defense for the past five years. Junior Meghan Hungerford has decided to forgo her last year of eligibility as she plans to enter dental school next fall. Brigid Kenny will also be honored, as she finishes her second year as student manager after being a member of the Husker team in 2004 and 2005. Tanya Dennis finished her Husker career in 2006 as she joined the Canadian National Team to train for the World Cup. All five players will be honored in a pregame ceremony.

Ranked Run-ins
The Huskers match up with No. 16 Missouri last Sunday was not NU’s first experience with a ranked opponent. Nebraska has faced six teams ranked by the NSCAA in the top 25 in the nation. The Huskers squared off against two SEC programs at the USC Tournament in No. 17 Georgia and No. 13 Tennessee. The Big 12 conference has once again shown to be one of the premiere leagues in the nation as four schools from its fold are ranked. Nebraska has battled No. 6 Texas, No. 23 Oklahoma State, No. 3 Texas A&M and No. 16 Missouri.

First Dibs
NU drew blood first against No. 16 Missouri last Sunday as the Huskers scored in the 28th minute. This year’s squad has shown offensive zest throughout the season as NU has scored first in 11 of its 18 games. Nebraska has used that early offensive edge to notch a 5-3-2 record when it scores first. The Huskers quickest goal of the season came in just the fourth minute in a 5-1 win over St. Louis.

Allen's At It Again
Sophomore midfielder Savannah Allen put a sour note in Kansas' 3-1 win over Nebraska last Friday. Allen's goal in the 87th minute ended a 294-minute shutout streak for KU. The Jayhawks had not allowed a goal since Oct. 14 against Oklahoma. Allen put a curving ball on goal from a corner kick that a Kansas player misplayed and put in net.

Shay's Scoring Strength
Sophomore forward Shay Powell scored her team-leading fifth goal against No. 16 Missouri last Sunday. Jessie Bruch collected a goal kick and found Powell along the right edge of the box. Powell blasted a shot that beat MU goalkeeper Tasha Dittamore and put the Huskers on top early in Columbia. Powell also helped the Huskers jump on No. 3 Texas A&M early on Oct. 21. Junior midfielder Sari Raber found Powell at the top of the box and Powell fought off an Aggie defender to place a shot in the upper right hand corner and beat A&M’s goalkeeper. Raber has nine points on three goals and three assists. Powell has launched 26 shots this season, including 14 on goal.

Nebraska's Never-Ending Shots
The Huskers’ offense broke through in a big way on Oct. 12 as NU peppered Lamar with 44 shots, including 26 in the first half, to capture a 4-0 win in Beaumont, Texas. NU’s offense set several season-highs as the win improved the Huskers to 5-5-3 on the season.

Nebraska’s 44 shots were the most in a game since NU recorded 44 in an 11-0 win over Drury on Sept. 3, 2000. Nebraska put half its total shots on goal as 22 of its shots found their way towards the net. NU’s 22 shots on goal were the most since Nebraska had 22 against Belmont in a 7-0 win on Sept. 6, 2002.

The Huskers forced LU goalkeeper Kelsie Binetti to make 18 saves in the game, which fell one shy of breaking the single game saves record by an NU opponent. Heather Friedman of Arkansas-Little Rock notched 19 saves against the Huskers in an 11-0 loss on Aug. 27, 2000.

Freshmen Force
The Husker freshmen had a break-out game against Lamar on Oct. 12 as a freshman scored or assisted on three of NU’s four goals. Three Husker freshmen scored their first career goals, while two Huskers notched their first career assists.

Freshman midfielder Anna White found the back of the net in the 29th minute, courtesy of Selenia Iacchelli. Freshman forward Jaclyn White capped a three-goal first half for Nebraska as she scored in the 39th minute on an assist from fellow freshman forward Michaella Fulmer. NU put the finishing touches on the game in the 66th minute when Fulmer scored her own goal with the assist being credited to another freshman forward, Alexa Cardona.

Husker freshmen recorded 22 of the teams’ 44 shots, including 13 of the 22 shots on goal. Jaclyn White added six shots, including four on goal to go with her goal, while Fulmer and Cardona both recorded five shots each. Fulmer, Jaclyn White and Anna White all recorded their first career points in the match.

Jamani Done for Season
Junior forward Aysha Jamani had her season cut short when she suffered a season-ending Achille's tendon injury in practice on Oct. 3. The Huskers lose one of their top offensive threats in Jamani, as she was leading the Huskers in shots on goal through the first 10 games.

Mills Garners Honor
The Big 12 Conference announced on Sept. 25 that Husker freshman goalkeeper Jessica Mills had been named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week. Mills, a Houston, Texas, native, has started all 10 games in net for Nebraska this year.

Mills played two tremendous games on Sept. 21 and 23 as she recorded 11 saves and only allowed one goal in two games. On Sept. 21, she recorded five saves and did not allow a goal against Saint Louis as Nebraska won 5-1. She followed up that performance with six saves and one goal allowed in 110 minutes of action as the Huskers tied No. 12 Florida 1-1 on Sept. 23.

At the announcement, Mills was first in the Big 12 in minutes played (774), saves (42) and saves per game (5.25). Her save percentage of .857 ranked third in the conference and her two shutouts placed her fourth in the league. She is only the third Husker freshman to win the Big 12 weekly defensive accolade.

Husker Hot Shots
The Huskers bombarded Oklahoma's goalkeeper with 12 shots on goal on Sept. 28 in a 1-0 NU win. Twelve shots on goal is a season high for the Huskers and the most since Nebraska recorded 12 at Texas Tech on Oct. 30, 2005. Fans have seen impressive results as NU's offense has matured over the season. The Huskers have attempted at least 10 shots on goal against Oklahoma, Saint Louis and San Diego State this season. Nebraska racked up 10 shots in goal in only two games last year.

Undefeated in Openers
With a 1-0 win over Oklahoma on Sept. 28, the Huskers won the program's 12th consecutive leage opener in 12 tries. NU is 12-0 all-time in Big 12 openers and has outscored its opponents by a whopping 40-5 margin, winning by an average of more than three goals per game.

Nebraska opened league play at home this year, after three consecutive years on the road. Nebraska is 6-0 in Big 12 openers at home and has outscored its opponents 19-1. The Huskers have faced Oklahoma just twice in the conference opener, as NU put an 9-0 win on the Sooners in 1996. Below is a breakdown of how the Huskers have fared in league openers since the formation of the Big 12 Conference in 1996:

Year Opponent Result
1996 Oklahoma W, 8-0
1997 at Colorado W, 5-1
1998 at Iowa State W, 4-2
1999 Texas Tech W, 1-0
2000 at Baylor W, 3-0
2001 Baylor W, 4-0
2002 at Missouri W, 4-0
2003 Iowa State W, 5-1
2004 at #8 Kansas W, 1-0
2005 at Colorado W, 2-1
2006 at Missouri W, 2-0
2007 Oklahoma W, 1-0
Total: 12-0; outscored opponents 40-5

Offensive Outburst
After scoring only six goals in the first six games, the Huskers burst through with five goals against Saint Louis on Sept. 21. The Huskers set several Nebraska Soccer Field records in notching the 5-1 win. NU’s five goals set a team record for goals at the field, dating back to the start of the 2005 season. The previous high was four goals on three occasions. The four-goal win also ties the largest margin of victory at the field.

Four Huskers scored their first goal of the season in the game, while five goals is the biggest offensive outburst for NU since a 6-0 win at Oral Roberts on Oct. 14, 2005. Four goals in a half are also the most since scoring five against Northern Colorado on Sept. 17, 2004.

Mills Makes Her Mark
Jessica Mills is not one to waste time. After graduating high school a year early to join the Huskers, Mills has already made her mark on the Husker squad. Starting all 10 games in net for NU this year, she has accumulated a 0.81 goals-against average, allowing just nine goals in 10 games. Mills has even worked her way into the Husker record book. She became the first freshman goalkeeper to record a shutout in a Nebraska season opener with her 2-0 victory over Northwestern on Sept. 2. Mills’ six saves on the day were the most by a Nebraska goalkeeper making her career debut since at least 1996.

Mills opened her career with a scoreless streak of nearly 160 minutes, and hasn’t looked back since. She ranks near the top of the Big 12 in several categories. She is first in minutes played with 954 minutes of action, over 50 minutes ahead of second. She is second in saves, collecting 50 on the year and third in saves per game, averaging five per game. Her save percentage of .862 ranks her third in the Big 12. She has posted three shutouts, which ties her for second in the conference.

Fit to be Tied
With a 1-1 overtime tie against No. 12 Florida on Sept. 23, the Huskers recorded their third tie on the year, tying the single-season mark for ties. Just like last year, Nebraska has posted three ties on the year. Counting 2006 and 2007, the Huskers have recorded three ties in a full season just three times in the program’s 14-year history. This year’s ties are the most ever in nonconference play.

Nebraska’s 0-0 tie with San Diego State Sept. 9 was just the third scoreless tie in the 14-year history of Husker soccer, totaling a whopping 293 games. The last time NU played to a scoreless tie was against Kansas in 2005, also at the Nebraska Soccer Field.

Berkshire’s Breakthrough
The Huskers found the cure for their sputtering offense on Sept. 21 in sophomore midfielder Julie Berkshire, who posted her first two goals of the season in a 5-1 win over Saint Louis. A mere eight minutes after a Jessie Bruch goal, Berkshire powered a ball past SLU’s goalkeeper from 18 yards out to beat her to the right. The goal put the Huskers up 4-0 at half. In the second period, Berkshire showed she has some touch, too. On an Anna Caniglia corner, Berkshire headed the ball past SLU’s goalkeeper in the 69th minute to put NU up five and seal the game.

Berkshire’s two goals already put her on the path to a career year. She recorded only three shots, one on goal and one goal in 2006. Berkshire has two shots, two on goal and two goals already this season.

Isenhower’s Return
Sophomore Lauren Isenhower made her return to the pitch against Florida on Sept. 23. The Lenexa, Kan., native has suffered a number of injuries over the last year, but has undergone rehabilitation and will add offensive firepower to the Huskers’ attack.

Isenhower’s hard luck first hit prior to the 2006 season, leaving her out of the lineup following a spectacular freshman year that included two goals and three assists. The 5-9 midfielder had barely set foot back on the pitch this past spring when she again suffered a knee injury and was forced back into rehabilitation.

Goosen’s Goal
Brittany Goosen (pronounced GO-sun) has been one of several freshmen to step up for the Huskers this season. Goosen has started all eight games on the back line for the Huskers this year. She is part of a defense that has allowed just eight goals in eight games, including two shutouts.

Goosen proved her offensive worth as she scored her first career goal against Georgia on Sept. 16. She took a free kick from nearly midfield in the 65th minute. The ball bounced in the goal box and made it over the head of Bulldog goalkeeper Michelle Betos. Her goal broke a 245-minute scoreless streak for the Huskers.

Goosen became the second freshman to score a goal for NU this season. Fellow Husker Alexa Cardona recorded the first NU goal of the season against Northwestern in the season opener. Goosen’s performance earned her a spot on the all-tournament team for the USC Tournament.

A Winning Week
Nebraska played its first four games of the 2007 season in a span of just seven days, marking just the fifth time in program history the Huskers played four games in one week. NU has never suffered a loss when playing four games in a week, opening this season 2-0-2, while posting a 3-0-1 record in 2006 and perfect 4-0-0 marks in 1996, 2001 and 2004.

Freshman Facts
The Nebraska roster is nearly half freshmen this season as 14 of 31 players are in their first year in Lincoln. Three of those freshmen made their first career starts on Sept. 2 in a 2-0 Husker win over Northwestern, including midfielder Anna White, forward Brittany Goosen and goalkeeper Jessica Mills.

Alexa Cardona, another freshman, did not start, but did score the game-winning goal in the 71st minute. Cardona became the first true freshman to score the game-winning goal in a season-opener since Ashley Carter in 2003.

The shutout was Nebraska’s first in a season-opener since 2003 and made Mills the first freshman goalkeeper to record a shutout in a Nebraska season opener.

Mills’ six saves on the day were also the most by a Nebraska goalkeeper making her career debut since at least 1996.

Jamani Earns Big 12 Pick
Junior Aysha Jamani has been selected to the preseason All-Big 12 soccer team in the league’s coach’s poll. Jamani returns to Nebraska for her junior year in 2007 as the Huskers’ most potent offensive threat following the graduation of three-time Big 12 Player of the Year Brittany Timko. Jamani owns 11 goals and eight assists in two seasons and has started at forward in 37games. A former Big 12 All-Newcomer Team member and two-time second-team All-Big 12 selection, Jamani has consistently performed at the highest level for the Huskers.