Huskers Host Spartans, Visit Wildcats

Michigan State (7-1-2, 2-1-0 Big Ten) at Nebraska (4-6-1, 0-2-1 Big Ten)
Thursday, Sept. 30 • 7:05 p.m. (CT)
Barbara Hibner Stadium
Lincoln, Neb.

» First 400 fans receive a Nebraska Soccer Scarf
» Tickets: huskers.com/tickets
» Video Stream: Big Ten Network+
» Radio: KRNU 
» Live Stats: huskers.com/livestats
» Twitter Updates: @NebraskaSoccer

Nebraska (4-6-1, 0-2-1 Big Ten) at Northwestern (5-4-1, 1-1-1 Big Ten)
Sunday, Oct. 3 • 1:00 p.m. (CT)
Lanny and Sharon Martin Stadium
Evanston, Ill.

» Video Stream: Big Ten Network+
» Live Stats: nusports.com
» Twitter Updates: @NebraskaSoccer

This week, the Nebraska soccer team (4-6-1, 0-2-1 Big Ten) hosts Michigan State (7-1-2, 2-1-0 Big Ten) on Thursday at 7:05 p.m. (CT) on Big Ten Network+ before traveling to Northwestern (5-4-1, 1-1-1 Big Ten) for a matchup on Sunday at Lanny and Sharon Martin Stadium in Evanston, Ill., beginning at 1:00 p.m. (CT).

Thursday's festivities at Hibner include a free scarf to the first 400 fans in attendance.

Last Time Out
The Huskers tied Maryland, 0-0, on Thursday at Ludwig Field in College Park, Md., before NU dropped a close one to Rutgers on Sunday in Piscataway, N.J., 1-0.

Next Up
The Huskers will stay home for three-straight conference matchups as they face Michigan, Iowa and Wisconsin in the month of October. After its home stand, Nebraska will hit the road and face Illinois and Minnesota to close out regular season play.

Quick Notes
• Sophomore Reagan Raabe continues to lead the Huskers on the offensive side as she leads the team with six goals on the season and currently sits sixth in goals scored in the Big Ten standings.

• Freshman Sarah Weber has recorded one goal and one assist on the year, but she currently stands in eighth place in the Big Ten standings with 15 shots on goal in 11 games played.

• Nebraska has held strong on defense allowing only one goal in the last two conference games. Sophomore goalkeeper Sami Hauk made her seventh start of the season against Rutgers and now ranks second in saves and third in saves per game in the Big Ten standings.

• Nebraska enters the week in twelfth in the conference standings with one point (three points for a win, one point for a tie). Purdue leads the Big Ten with nine points (8-1-2 record), while Wisconsin (7-1-3) is in second with seven points.  

• Seven of NU's 11 freshman have seen the pitch so far this year. The Huskers started Jordan Zade and Weber against Rutgers.

Scouting the Michigan State Spartans
• Michigan State is 7-1-2 overall with a 2-1-0 record in Big Ten play. The Spartans enter the week with four wins in their past five games, most recently defeating Minnesota on Sunday, 2-1.

• The all-time series against Michigan State is tied, 4-4-1, dating back to the first meeting between the schools in 2011. The Huskers last defeated the Spartans in 2018 at Hibner Stadium, 2-0.

• Head Coach Tom Saxton is 274-252-56 in his 30th season at Michigan State. Saxton is assisted by Gabe Romo, Megan Link and Madison Pollard.

• Players to Watch

• No. 20 Zivana Labovic (Sophomore defender): Team-high four goals and nine assists
• No. 14 Ava Cook (Senior forward): Three goals and two assists on the year
• No. 00 Lauren Kozal (Redshirt Junior Goalkeeper): Has played every minute in goal this season, earning 34 saves and five shutouts

Scouting the Northwestern Wildcats
• Northwestern is 5-4-1 this season with a 1-1-1 record in Big Ten play. Northwestern has won one of its last five matchups.

• Northwestern faces Illinois in Evanston, Ill., on Thursday night before its matchup against Nebraska on Sunday.

• Nebraska leads the all-time series against Northwestern, 6-4-3, dating back to 1995. The Huskers have lost the last three games against the Wildcats.

• Head Coach Michael Moynihan is 82-70-25 in his ninth year at Northwestern. He is 276-154-63 in his 24th season overall. Moynihan is assisted by Morgan Ruhl and Rich Manning.

• Michigan State is 7-1-2 overall with a 2-1-0 record in Big Ten play. The Spartans enter the week with four wins in their past five games, most recently defeating Minnesota on Sunday, 2-1.

• Players to Watch

• No. 8 Josie Aulicino (Sophomore Midfielder): Team-high five goals and six assists
• No. 7 Aurea Martin (Junior Midfielder): Two goals and one assist on the year
• No. 1 Mackenzie Wood (Senior Goalkeeper): Has played every minute in goal this season, earning 42 saves and two shutouts

Huskers Celebrating 28th Season in 2021
• The Nebraska soccer program is in its 28th year since the inaugural campaign in 1994. Head Coach John Walker has been at the helm of the team since its inception, guiding the Huskers to more than 330 all-time victories.

• Nebraska has made 12 NCAA Tournament appearances in its first 27 seasons, including two trips to the Elite Eight and eight Sweet 16 berths.

• The Huskers have captured four conference regular-season titles and six conference tournament crowns. As a member of the Big 12, NU won the regular-season championship in 1996, 1999 and 2000, while winning the tournament title in 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2002. Nebraska joined the Big Ten in 2011 and two seasons later, swept the regular-season and tournament crowns.