Huskers Make Road Trip to Wisconsin

Game 9
Nebraska vs. Wisconsin
Saturday, Sept. 20 l Madison, Wis. l 7 p.m.
Stadium: McClimon Soccer Complex
Capacity: 4,500
Series History: Nebraska leads, 4-1-1
Video: BTN Plus
Live Stats: GameTracker

The Nebraska soccer team (4-3-1) seeks its first Big Ten win of the season when the Huskers travel to Madison, Wis., for their game against Wisconsin on Saturday at 7 p.m. (CT).

The Huskers and Badgers are meeting for the seventh time in series history, with NU holding a 4-1-1 advantage. Each of the last two matches has gone extra time, but the Huskers ultimately claimed victory in both instances. Last season, NU notched a 2-1 triumph in double overtime.

Saturday night’s game will be streamed on BTN Plus. The game marks Nebraska’s first conference road game of the season and its second road game overall, as the Huskers came from behind to top Marquette on Aug. 31 by a 3-2 margin.

Last Time Out: Huskers Tie Big Ten Opener, Fall to Illinois on Sunday
Nebraska opened its Big Ten season with a pair of home matches on Thursday, Sept. 11 and Sunday, Sept. 14. The Huskers tied Northwestern in the first game, 1-1, before dropping a 3-0 decision to Illinois.

Against the Wildcats, Northwestern’s Sami Schrakamp struck first in the 12th minute to put the Wildcats up 1-0. With time winding down in the game, Katie Kraeutner scored off an assist from Jaycie Johnson in the 88th minute to tie the game. Neither team scored in the extra time.

Against the Fighting Illini, the Huskers took six shots but failed to score in a 3-0 setback. Illinois’ Allison Stucky scored in the 40th minute, while Jannelle Flaws added two goals, scoring in the 71st and 80th minute.

Scouting the Wisconsin Badgers
Wisconsin is 7-1-0 on the season after suffering its first loss last weekend to Michigan on a last-second goal. Prior to the loss, the Badgers had outscored their opponents 19-2 in their first seven games. Wisconsin opened conference play with a 2-1 overtime victory on the road over Michigan State on Sept. 12.

Goalkeeper Genevieve Richard has compiled 20 saves over 641 minutes of play to lead the Badgers’ defense. Cara Walls (seven goals) and Kinley McNicoll (six goals) have led Wisconsin’s offense, while Kodee Williams, Becca Harrison and Marisa Kresge have each scored twice.

Huskers Showing Ability to Score Late
Nebraska has scored in the 75th minute or later in six of its eight games this season. This past weekend, Katie Kraeutner delivered in the 88th minute for the Huskers against Northwestern in their Big Ten opener. In addition to Kraeutner’s goal, Jaycie Johnson has scored twice in the 75th minute or later, while Courtney Claassen, Caroline Flynn and Sydney Miramontez have each added one during that time stretch.

The Huskers failed to score down the stretch against Illinois and Oklahoma, but made late goals in each of their first four games of the season. Overall, NU is 4-1-1 when scoring in the last 15 minutes. The Huskers are 0-2-0 when they don’t.

Schatz Filling Goalkeeper Role
Sophomore Kelly Schatz has started all eight games at goalkeeper for the Huskers this season, playing over 714 minutes. Schatz has 23 saves and has earned two complete game shutouts. She also contributed to a third NU shutout as she played the first 48 minutes against North Dakota. Schatz has given up 10 goals on the season, but holds a .697 save percentage.

Johnson Continues to Produce on Offense
Nebraska’s leading goal scorer from 2013, Jaycie Johnson, started 2014 where she left off from last season and has six goals through eight games.

Johnson scored two goals in each of the first three weekends, managing a pair of scores in both the Marquette and North Dakota matches. She scored once against SMU and once while facing DePaul.

A Lake Winnebago, Mo. native, Johnson has taken 35 shots this season, 24 of which have been on goal.

Huskers Respond to Double OT Heartbreaker with 4-0 Triumph
Nebraska went 1-1 at home in its third weekend of play, falling to No. 20 Oklahoma in double overtime on Friday, Sept. 5, before dominating North Dakota by a 4-0 margin on Sunday, Sept. 7.

Against the Sooners, Katie Kraeutner scored in the sixth minute to put NU up early, but Oklahoma tied the score 1-1 in the 71st minute with Ayana O’Neal’s goal. Despite Nebraska controlling on offense to start the second overtime, Oklahoma’s defense managed to withstand the pressure and scored in the 107th minute for the win.

On Sunday, the Huskers outshot North Dakota 32-2, as Jaycie Johnson scored twice, and Mayme Conroy and Courtney Claassen each added one goal in the 4-0 win.

Both of Johnson’s goals came in the first three minutes of the second half. Conroy scored NU’s first goal of the game in the ninth minute. Claassen scored off a rebound in the 76th minute for her first career goal. Caroline Flynn recorded two assists.

Huskers Sweep Butler, Marquette
Nebraska took down Butler, 1-0, on Friday, Aug. 29 at the Nebraska Soccer Field before defeating Marquette, 3-2, on Sunday, Aug. 31 at Valley Fields in Milwaukee, Wis.

The Huskers outshot the Bulldogs 17-2, but it wasn’t until Caroline Flynn’s goal in the 83rd minute that NU got on the scoreboard. Flynn scored from 30 yards out to the top left corner of the net from the right side of the field. Goalkeeper Kelly Schatz earned two saves during the shutout.

Against the Golden Eagles, Nebraska trailed 2-0 before scoring three goals in the final 26 minutes en route to a 3-2 triumph. Jaycie Johnson scored twice, making her first goal in the 65th minute before adding the game winner off an assist from Caroline Gray in the 83rd minute. Mayme Conroy added a goal for the Huskers in the 69th minute.

Huskers Split Opening Weekend Games
Nebraska opened the regular season on Friday, Aug. 22 with a 4-0 victory over SMU before falling to DePaul, 2-1, on Sunday, Aug. 24 at the Nebraska Soccer Field.

Against the Mustangs, goalkeeper Kelly Schatz earned a shutout in her first career start at the position. She compiled five saves, four of which came in the second half. Caroline Gray, Caroline Flynn, Jaycie Johnson and Sydney Miramontez each scored for the Huskers in the home opener.

Against the Blue Demons, Johnson scored the lone goal for the Huskers in the 89th minute off an assist from Flynn, but DePaul had already built a 2-0 lead. Elise Wyatt scored for the Blue Demons in the 16th minute before Abby Reed added a goal in the 85th minute.

Final Season at Nebraska Soccer Field
The Huskers are in their 10th and final season at the Nebraska Soccer Field before moving into the Nebraska Soccer and Tennis Complex next season. Since moving to campus in 2005, NU has compiled a 66-27-13 record and has five home games remaining in 2014.

2014 Season Outlook
Nebraska’s 2014 team includes five seniors in Head Coach John Walker’s 21st season at the helm of the school’s soccer program. The Huskers also welcomed back All-Big Ten second-team member Jaycie Johnson, who is a sophomore in 2014 after leading the team with 17 goals last season. The Huskers added 12 newcomers in the offseason in addition to their 12 returning letterwinners from 2013.

Huskers to Make Three BTN Appearances
Nebraska appeared on the Big Ten Network on Thursday, Sept. 11 and will make two more showings this season. The Huskers host Big Ten newcomer Maryland on Sunday, Sept. 28 at 2 p.m., on BTN. The game was originally set for 1 p.m., but was changed for TV scheduling. NU’s final regular season appearance on the network comes at Michigan on Thursday, Oct. 2 at 2:30 p.m.