Huskers Journey to Michigan for Two Matches

Game 12
Nebraska vs. Michigan
Thursday, Oct. 2 l Ann Arbor, Mich. l 2:30 p.m.
Stadium: U-M Stadium
Capacity: 2,200
Series History: Michigan leads, 4-1-1
TV: Big Ten Network
Live Stats: GameTracker

Game 13
Nebraska vs. Michigan State
Sunday, Oct. 5 l East Lansing, Mich. l Noon
Stadium: DeMartin Soccer Complex
Capacity: 2,500
Series History: Michigan State leads, 2-1-0
Live Stats: GameTracker

The Nebraska soccer team (5-4-2) looks to ride momentum from last week’s victory when the Huskers takes a trip to the Great Lakes State to battle Michigan and Michigan State.

The Huskers face the Wolverines on Thursday at 2:30 p.m., at U-M Stadium in a Big Ten Network-televised game. On Sunday, NU squares off with the Spartans at noon at DeMartin Soccer Complex. Live stats for both games are available on GameTracker.

The matchup between Nebraska and Michigan will be the seventh meeting all time, with the Wolverines holding a 4-1-1 advantage. Michigan State leads the series against Nebraska, 2-1-0.

Last Time Out: Conroy Leads NU to Win, Tie
Nebraska got back to its winning ways on Sunday, Sept. 28 at the Nebraska Soccer Field as the Huskers posted a 4-3 overtime win over Maryland after tying No. 25 Rutgers on Thursday, Sept. 25.

Against the Scarlet Knights, senior Mayme Conroy scored in the 37th minute off a pass from Jourden Casey to tie the game at 1. Neither team scored for the remainder of the game, as goalkeeper Kelly Schatz registered a career-high seven saves.

Conroy scored two goals, including the game winner in the 96th minute, against Maryland in Sunday’s match. Caroline Gray and Jacyie Johnson also scored for the Huskers, and Casey earned two assists.

Scouting the Michigan Wolverines
Michigan is 8-3-0 on the season and holds a 4-1 record in the Big Ten. The Wolverines opened the season with wins over Cal State Northridge and Bowling Green before dropping back-to-back games against San Diego and San Diego State. U-M responded over the next five games with victories over Toledo, Central Michigan, Minnesota, then-No. 9 Wisconsin and Maryland before falling to Rutgers on Sept. 21. Michigan won its most recent game, a 2-1 triumph over intrastate rival Michigan State.

Nicky Waldeck leads the Wolverines in goals scored with five and has three assists as well. Ani Sarkisian has also a stalwart for the Wolverine offense, scoring four goals and adding six assists. Madisson Lewis (3 goals), Corinne Harris (2) and Taylor Timko (2) also have multiple goals for Michigan this season. Goalkeeper Megan Hinz has started eight games in net and holds a 7-1 record, while Taylor Bucklin has a 1-2 record in three games at goalie.

Scouting the Michigan State Spartans
Michigan State is 6-4-1 and still seeking its first Big Ten win after an 0-4-1 start. The Spartans have suffered one-goal losses to Michigan, Rutgers, Minnesota and Wisconsin, but tied Maryland on Sept. 21. MSU opened the season with six consecutive victories, three of which were shutouts.

Jamie Cheslik has led the MSU offense with six goals, while Mary-Kate Fiebernitz (3 goals), Allyson Krause (2), and Rachel Van Poppelen (2) have each scored multiple goals. Goalkeeper Courtney Clem has started all 11 games at net for the Spartains and has 59 saves, while surrending nine goals.

Conroy Collects Big Ten Honor
Senior forward Mayme Conroy earned Big Ten Offensive Player-of-the-Week accolades on Monday, Sept. 29, after scoring three goals in two games during the previous week.

Conroy, an Omaha, Neb., native, tallied two goals in Nebraska’s 4-3 overtime triumph over Maryland, including the game winner in the 96th minute. Her first score of the game came in the 22nd minute off an assist from Katie Kraeutner.

On Thursday, Sept. 25, Conroy delivered in the 37th minute against No. 25 Rutgers, helping the Huskers’ to a 1-1 tie at the Nebraska Soccer Field. She took three shots in 105 minutes of action while facing the Scarlet Knights.

Casey Provides Crucial Assists Over Weekend
Senior defender had a career day on Sunday, Sept. 28, against Maryland when she assisted on two goals, including the game winner in the 96th minute. Casey earned the first assist of her career in the previous game, a 1-1 tie against Rutgers on Thursday, Sept. 25.

Huskers Showing Ability to Score Late
Nebraska has scored in the 75th minute or later in seven of its 11 games this season. Jaycie Johnson has scored twice in the 75th minute or later, while Courtney Claassen, Caroline Flynn, Katie Kraeutner, Mayme Conroy and Sydney Miramontez have each added one during that time stretch.

The Huskers failed to score down the stretch against Wisconsin, Illinois, Oklahoma and Rutgers, but made late goals in each of their first four games of the season. Overall, NU is 5-1-1 when scoring in the last 15 minutes. The Huskers are 0-3-1 when they don’t.

Schatz Filling Goalkeeper Role
Sophomore Kelly Schatz has started all 11 games at goalkeeper for the Huskers this season, playing more than 1,009 minutes. Schatz has 32 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 17 goals on the season and holds a .653 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 seven goals through 11 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, DePaul and Maryland.

A Lake Winnebago, Mo. native, Johnson has taken 43 shots this season, 28 of which have been on goal.

Huskers Fall to No. 13 Wisconsin, 3-0
Nebraska outshot Wisconsin 10-7 at McClimon Soccer Complex in Madison, Wis., but fell by a 3-0 margin on Saturday, Sept. 20. The Badgers scored goals in the first, 20th and 86th minutes.

Jaycie Johnson (three shots on goal), Caroline Gray (two shots on goal), Mayme Conroy (one shot on goal) and Caroline Flynn (one shot on goal) led Nebraska’s offense.

NU Ties Big Ten Opener, Falls to Illinois
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.

NU Responds to 2OT Loss with 4-0 Win
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 67-27-14 record and has three 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 Make Three BTN Appearances
Nebraska has appeared on the Big Ten Network twice this season and will make one more showing on Thursday at Michigan at 2:30 p.m. The Huskers appeared on BTN for their matches against Northwestern (Sept. 11) and Maryland (Sept. 28).