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Nuggets Open with 89-79 Win over Pistons

Denver_NuggetsDENVER (AP) — Kenneth Faried scored 22 points and had 17 rebounds and the Denver Nuggets opened the season Wednesday night with an 89-79 win over Detroit, spoiling the debut of Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy.

Aaron Afflalo, in his second tour with Denver after being acquired in an offseason trade with Orlando, had 15 points. Timofey Mozgov added 13 points and 11 rebounds for the Nuggets, coming off a 36-46 campaign marked by losses of key players to injuries, including Danilo Gallinari, JaVale McGee, J.J. Hickson and Nate Robinson, though all four are healthy now.

Josh Smith, Detroit’s leading scorer last season, had 25 points to lead the Pistons. D.J. Augustin added 15 points.

The Pistons managed only one basket in the last three minutes.

Bumgarner, Giants beat KC 3-2 in Series Game 7

kc-royalsKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Madison Bumgarner pitched five innings of near-perfect relief and the San Francisco Giants held off the Kansas City Royals 3-2 Wednesday night in Game 7 of the World Series for their third championship in five seasons.

With both starters chased early, this became a matchup of bullpens. And no one stood taller than the 6-foot-5 Bumgarner, who added to his postseason legacy with a third victory this Series.

After Gregor Blanco misplayed Alex Gordon’s drive for a single and two-base error, Bumgarner got Salvador Perez to pop foul to third baseman Pablo Sandoval for the final out.

The Giants ended a Series streak that had seen home teams win the last nine Game 7s. San Francisco took this pairing of wild-card teams after earning titles in 2012 and 2010.

Pitching on two days’ rest after his shutout in Game 5, Bumgarner entered in the fifth with a 3-2 lead. After giving up a leadoff single to Omar Infante, he shut down the Royals.

Huskers Open Season with Big Red Tip-Off

Nebraska-Huskers-BasketballLincoln – Fans got their first chance to see the 2014-15 Nebraska basketball teams Thursday night as both the Husker men and women scrimmaged as part of Big Red Tip-Off at Pinnacle Bank Arena.

The fun family-friendly event featured a pair of 15-minute scrimmage, as well as a 3-point contest, while both men’s coach Tim Miles and women’s coach Connie Yori previewed the upcoming season.

Miles, who begins his third season at Nebraska, appreciated the fans who turned out on a very busy sports night in the Midwest.

“I think this is a great event for the fans,” Miles said. “I thought it was well attended on a difficult night to attend, in terms of the Royals doing something they haven’t done in 30 years. It is a big sporting event across the world, but at the same time, I think we had a lot of fans come out and support us and really see what the teams have to offer. I think the league has improved a great deal, every year and I think we will have a better product on the court.”

Miles also appreciated the support that fans have shown for both Husker programs, as both the Husker men and women ranked in the top-20 nationally in attendance last year, and the event provides fans a chance to see both teams in action.

“I think it is great having the men’s and women’s teams together because a lot of fans don’t necessarily get to watch both teams,” Miles said. “I think it is a lot of fun and it is always a different energy level when you have those two teams out there.”

In the 3-point contest, Walter Pitchford advanced to the finals with 16 points, hitting 10 consecutive 3-pointers to close the contest and best Andrew White III (11 points) and Terran Petteway (nine). Pitchford lost in the finals to Emily Cady, 12-11, as Pitchford missed the final shot at the buzzer to tie.

The Husker men closed the event with a 15-minute scrimmage, with the Red squad posting a 50-35 victory. Newcomer Andrew White III led all scorers with 18 points, including four 3-pointers in his Pinnacle Bank Arena debut, while Pichford and Petteway added 13 and 12 points, respectively. For the White squad, Shavon Shields and Tai Webster tied for team-high honors with 10 points each.

The Huskers will have their only exhibition next Thursday, Nov. 6, when they host Southwest Minnesota State. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. and the game will be carried on the Husker Sports Network and Huskers.com.

BTN Announces Coverage of 2014 B1G Fall Championships & Tournaments

BTN Big Ten NetworkCHICAGO – BTN will provide extensive coverage of the 2014 Big Ten fall championships and tournaments, including live broadcasts during the Big Ten Field Hockey Tournament and Big Ten Men’s and Women’s Soccer Tournaments, and delayed coverage of the Big Ten Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Championships. Coverage of the quarterfinals for women’s soccer and field hockey will be streamed live on BTN Plus. The semifinals and finals for each event will be available on both BTN and BTN2Go.

The network will be in West Lafayette, Ind., for the Big Ten Women’s Soccer Tournament. Live streamed coverage of the quarterfinal round will begin at 10:30 AM ET on Wednesday, Nov. 5, followed by three more games at approximately 1:30 PM ET4:30 PM ET and 7:30 PM ET. Live coverage of the semifinal round will begin at 11 AM ET on Friday, Nov. 7, with the second game to stream live on BTN2Go at 2 PM ET and air on delay at 11:30 PM ET. The championship game will air live at 3 PM ET on Sunday, Nov. 9. Penn State, Wisconsin, Rutgers and Michigan are ranked No. 6, No. 11, No. 23 and No. 25, respectively. Nebraska will aim to win its second-consecutive Big Ten Tournament title.

BTN will provide live coverage of the quarterfinals, semifinals and final of the Big Ten Field Hockey Tournament at Michigan. Live streamed coverage of the quarterfinal round will begin at 10 AM ET on Thursday, Nov. 6, followed by three more games at approximately 12:30 PM ET3 PM ET and 5:30 PM ET. Live coverage of the semifinal round will begin at 1 PM ET on Friday, Nov. 7, with the second game to follow at 3:45 PM ET. The championship game will air live at 1 PM ET on Sunday, Nov. 9. Six Big Ten teams appear in the latest national poll, including No. 2 Maryland, No. 5 Penn State, No. 8 Northwestern, tied at No. 14 Iowa and Michigan, and No. 19 Michigan State. The Spartans seek their second-consecutive Big Ten Tournament title.

BTN also will provide live coverage of the semifinals and final of the Big Ten Men’s Soccer Tournament. Coverage of the quarterfinals will be announced with the release of the tournament bracket. The highest remaining seed coming out of the quarterfinals will host the semifinals and championship game. Semifinals will air live at 1 PM and approximately 3:40 PM ET on Friday, Nov. 14. The final will be carried live at 12:30 PM ET on Sunday, Nov. 16. Indiana is the top-ranked team at No. 2, followed by No. 12 Michigan State, No. 18 Penn State and No. 20 Northwestern. The Hoosiers are the reigning tournament champion.

The network will offer delayed coverage of the Big Ten Cross Country Championships at 5 PM ET on Wednesday, Nov. 12. Iowa will host the event on Sunday, Nov. 2. The Big Ten has four nationally ranked men’s teams, including No. 6 Wisconsin, No. 14 Michigan, No. 20 Indiana and No. 22 Michigan State. The Hoosiers will pursue their second-consecutive title, and will be seeking their 15th overall. On the women’s side, five Big Ten teams are ranked in the top 25, including No. 1 Michigan State, No. 4 Michigan, No. 8 Wisconsin, No. 19 Ohio State and No. 20 Minnesota. The Michigan State women’s team will aim for a second-straight conference title.

2014 Big Ten Fall Sports Championships/Tournaments on BTN (all times Eastern)

 

Big Ten Women’s Soccer Tournament

Wednesday, November 5 10:30 AM Quarterfinals – Game 1 West Lafayette, IN BTN Plus
Wednesday, November 5 1:30 PM Quarterfinals – Game 2* West Lafayette, IN BTN Plus
Wednesday, November 5 4:30 PM Quarterfinals – Game 3* West Lafayette, IN BTN Plus
Wednesday, November 5 7:30 PM Quarterfinals – Game 4* West Lafayette, IN BTN Plus
Friday, November 7 11 AM Semifinal #1 West Lafayette, IN BTN/BTN2Go
Friday, November 7 2 PM** Semifinal #2* West Lafayette, IN BTN/BTN2Go
Sunday, November 9 3 PM Championship West Lafayette, IN BTN/BTN2Go

* Quarterfinal #2, #3 and #4 and semifinal #2 will begin no earlier than the above time, or 30 minutes after conclusion of previous game

** Semifinal #2 will stream live on BTN2Go at 2 PM ET and be televised on delay at 11:30 PM ET

 

 

Big Ten Field Hockey Tournament

Thursday, November 6 10 AM Quarterfinals – Game 1 Ann Arbor, MI BTN Plus
Thursday, November 6 12:30 PM Quarterfinals – Game 2* Ann Arbor, MI BTN Plus
Thursday, November 6 3 PM Quarterfinals – Game 3* Ann Arbor, MI BTN Plus
Thursday, November 6 5:30 PM Quarterfinals – Game 4* Ann Arbor, MI BTN Plus
Friday, November 7 1 PM Semifinal #1 Ann Arbor, MI BTN/BTN2Go
Friday, November 7 3:45 PM Semifinal #2* Ann Arbor, MI BTN/BTN2Go
Sunday, November 9 1 PM Championship Ann Arbor, MI BTN/BTN2Go

* Quarterfinal #2 and #3 and semifinal #2 will begin no earlier than the above time, or 40 minutes after conclusion of previous game

 

Big Ten Men’s Soccer Tournament

Saturday, November 8 TBD First Round: No. 8 vs. No. 9 Site of No. 1 seed TBD
Sunday, November 9 TBD Quarterfinals – Game 1 Site TBD TBD
Sunday, November 9 TBD Quarterfinals – Game 2* Site TBD TBD
Sunday, November 9 TBD Quarterfinals – Game 3* Site TBD TBD
Sunday, November 9 TBD Quarterfinals – Game 4* Site TBD TBD
Friday, November 14 1 PM Semifinal #1 Site TBD BTN/BTN2Go
Friday, November 14 3:40 PM Semifinal #2* Site TBD BTN/BTN2Go
Sunday, November 16 12:30 PM Championship Site TBD BTN/BTN2Go

* Quarterfinal #2 and #3 and semifinal #2 will begin no earlier than the above time, or 30 minutes after conclusion of previous game

 

Big Ten Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Championships

Sunday, November 2 5 PM Final (Delay: Nov. 12) Iowa City, IA BTN/BTN2Go

 

Chiefs QB Smith to Practice after Shoulder Injury

Alex Smith
Alex Smith

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith plans to practice Wednesday despite spraining his troublesome throwing shoulder in last weekend’s victory over the St. Louis Rams.

Smith landed on his right shoulder shortly before halftime. He received treatment in the locker room and played the entire second half, complaining only later of a bit of soreness.

The Chiefs play the New York Jets on Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium.

Smith has a history of shoulder trouble dating to his days with the San Francisco 49ers. He missed eight games and finished the 2007 season on injured reserve after separating it, requiring surgery that December. He also missed the entire 2008 season after breaking a bone in the shoulder a few days before the start of the season.

Smith also separated his non-throwing shoulder in 2010.

Huskers Visit Big Ten Newcomers

Nebraska-Volleyball-HuskersHuskers Visit Big Ten Newcomers
The 14th-ranked Nebraska volleyball team heads to the East Coast this weekend to battle the two Big Ten newcomers, Rutgers and Maryland. The Huskers will face Rutgers on Halloween on Friday at 6 p.m. (CT) in Piscataway, N.J. Nebraska will then head down the coast to take on Maryland on Saturday at 6 p.m. (CT) in College Park, Md.

The Huskers are 12-7 overall and 6-4 in the Big Ten, putting them sixth in the Big Ten standings at the midway point. NU is coming off a split of its Big Ten matches last week, the fourth straight week the Big Red has won its first match of the week and dropped its second. Nebraska came back from an 0-2 deficit to win 3-2 at No. 25 Minnesota last Wednesday. The Huskers were swept at No. 5 Wisconsin on Sunday. John Cook is in his 15th season as head coach at Nebraska and is 425-55 leading the Huskers.

Rutgers (7-16, 0-10 Big Ten) enters the week in last place in the Big Ten. The Scarlet Knights dropped a pair of 3-2 matches to Maryland last week. Rutgers was swept in its first eight Big Ten matches before playing Maryland. CJ Werneke is in his seventh year at the helm.

Maryland enters Friday’s match against Iowa 9-12 overall and 2-8 in the Big Ten, placing them 12th in the league standings. Both wins came in five sets against Rutgers last week, snapping an 11-match losing streak after the Terrapins started the season 7-1. Former Penn State assistant Steve Aird is in his first year as head coach.

Media Information
Friday’s match at Rutgers will be streamed online with a BTN Plus subscription. Saturday’s match at Maryland will not have a broadcast available. Fans can also listen to the action with John Baylor and Lindsay Peterson on the 25-station Husker Sports Network, including B107.3 FM in Lincoln and The Wolf 93.3 FM in Omaha. Fans inside and outside the state of Nebraska will also be able to catch the live audio feed on Huskers.com for free. Live stats will be available at Huskers.com as well.

Series History
Rutgers won the only meeting between the teams back on Dec. 8, 1978, 2-0 (16-14, 16-8). Rutgers is the only Big Ten school the Huskers have never beaten.

Nebraska is 3-0 all-time against Maryland. The Huskers last beat the Terrapins, 3-0, on Sept. 12, 2004 in Lincoln.

Up Next
Nebraska now returns home for four straight matches beginning Wednesday, Nov. 5 against Purdue.

Noting the Huskers
• Kadie Rolfzen leads the Huskers with 3.46 kills per set and ranks seventh in the Big Ten. The 2013 third-team AVCA All-American has 15 or more kills eight times this season. Rolfzen is also second on the team in digs with 2.76 per set.
• Alicia Ostrander is second on the team with 2.92 kills per set and is averaging 3.00 kills per set in Big Ten play. Ostrander has double-digit kills in eight of the last 11 matches.
• Kelsey Fien is third on the team in kills per set with 2.80. After not playing against Northwestern and Illinois, Fien came off the bench last week and averaged 3.29 kills per set and hit .333. Her play sparked the Huskers’ 3-2 comeback win at Minnesota.
• Amber Rolfzen adds 2.15 kills per set with 1.87 digs per set. Rolfzen had a career-high 18 digs along with seven kills and a season-high seven blocks in the win at Minnesota.
• Justine Wong-Orantes leads the Big Red in digs with 3.91 per set and ranks eighth in the Big Ten.
• Mary Pollmiller, the Huskers’ lone senior, has 705 set assists for 10.22 per set to rank fifth in the conference. She also adds a defensive presence at the net with 50 blocks to rank second on the team.
• The Huskers are second in the Big Ten in digs with 14.72 per set. The Huskers are 12-1 when outdigging their opponents and 0-4 when getting outdug.
• Nebraska ranks third in the Big Ten and 19th nationally with 2.81 blocks per set. Meghan Haggerty is fourth in the Big Ten with 1.25 blocks per set.
• The Huskers are 8-1 in matches played on Monday through Friday this season, while they are 4-6 in matches played on Saturday and Sunday.
• The Huskers are 229-0 when hitting .300 or better under John Cook.
• Nebraska is 373-16 when winning the first set under Cook.
• John Cook is 140-42 (.769) against ranked opponents at Nebraska. Just under one-third of Cook’s total victories at Nebraska (425) have come against ranked teams.
• Nebraska volleyball leads the nation with 212 consecutive sellouts, the longest sellout streak in the history of NCAA women’s athletics. NU owns a 194-18 record during the streak.

Scouting Rutgers
The Scarlet Knights are led by their libero, Ali Schroeter, who is fifth in the Big Ten in digs with 4.28 per set. Meme Fletcher leads the team with 2.59 kills per set but is hitting .095. She also leads the team with 23 aces to rank fifth in the Big Ten. Rutgers ranks last in the league in hitting percentage (.142) and kills (10.76 per set).

Scouting Maryland
Maryland is led by Ashleigh Crutcher’s 3.54 kills per set, which ranks fifth in the Big Ten. Crutcher is hitting .203. Hailey Murray hits .280 and averages 1.88 kills per set along with 1.00 blocks per set. Setter Carlotta Oggioni is averaging 7.03 assists per set, while Whitney Craigo adds 2.71 assists per set. Amy Dion leads the team with 3.53 digs per set. The Terrapins rank 13th in the league in hitting percentage (.153) and kills (10.96 per set). Maryland’s best player, senior Adreené Elliott, had season-ending knee surgery after posting 3.93 kills per set through the first seven matches. She was third in the Big Ten in kills at the time.

Missing Broncos Fan says He had ‘Fill of Football’

Paul Kitterman
Paul Kitterman

DENVER (AP) — A man who disappeared during last week’s Denver Broncos game told police he had “his fill of football” and walked and hitchhiked about 130 miles to a city in southern Colorado.

Paul Kitterman was found safe Tuesday night in Pueblo after police got a tip that he was in the city. Police Sgt. Franklyn Ortega says the 53-year-old looked tired but was otherwise unharmed.

Kitterman told police that he hadn’t watched television in several days and wasn’t aware that people were looking for him.

He was last seen leaving his seat at halftime at Thursday’s game against the San Diego Chargers at Sports Authority Field.

His stepson, Jarod Tonneson, reported him missing, and friends and family scoured the stadium and searched Denver for him. The family has asked for privacy.

Huskers Face Iowa for Senior Day

huskersoccerThe Nebraska soccer team concludes its regular season on Friday when the Huskers host Iowa at the Nebraska Soccer Field at 3:30 p.m. (CT).

The game will be the final time the Huskers play at the venue before moving into the Nebraska Soccer and Tennis Complex next season. Friday also marks Senior Day, as Samantha Areman, Jourden Casey, Mayme Conroy, Hannah Dittmar and Caroline Gray will be honored before the game.

The Huskers lead the all-time series against the Hawkeyes, 7-0-0. Live video streaming for the game will be available on BTN Plus and live stats will be on Huskers.com.

Last Time Out: Huskers Fall to Penn State, Ohio State
Nebraska went 0-2 on its final road trip of the season, falling to No. 7 Penn State and Ohio State. Senior Mayme Conroy scored in the 41st minute against the Nittany Lions, but the Huskers fell by a 3-1 margin. Conroy also scored against the Buckeyes in the 57th minute to give NU a 1-0 lead, but three second-half goals by Ohio State led to a 3-1 loss for the Huskers.

Scouting the Iowa Hawkeyes
Iowa is 12-5-1 on the season, and holds a 7-4-1 record in the Big Ten. The Hawkeyes opened the 2014 campaign with four consecutive wins before falling to intrastate rival Iowa State on Sept. 5. Iowa responded with four straight wins, which included three consecutive victories to start conference play. Since then, Iowa is 4-4-1, most recently falling to Penn State, 2-1.

Cloe Lacasse has led the Hawkeye offense with 10 goals and six assists this season. Melanie Pickert has seven goals, while Bri Toelle has tallied four scores and five assists. Hannah Clark has spent the majority of the season at goalkeeper, and holds an 8-4-1 record, which includes seven shutouts. Kiley Beck has also spent time in net for Iowa, holding a 4-1-0 record, which includes three shutouts.

Huskers Showing Ability to Score Late
Nebraska has scored in the 75th minute or later on 10 occasions in 18 games this season. Jaycie Johnson has scored four times in the 75th minute or later, while Mayme Conroy has two goals during that time stretch. Nebraska scored twice in the final 15 minutes against Indiana on Oct. 19.

The Huskers have failed to score down the stretch in nine of their games, but made late goals in each of their first four games of the season. Overall, NU is 6-2-1 when scoring in the last 15 minutes. The Huskers are 1-7-1 when they don’t.

Schatz Filling Goalkeeper Role
Sophomore Kelly Schatz has started all 18 games at goalkeeper for the Huskers this season, playing more than 1,620 minutes. Schatz has 52 saves and has earned three complete game shutouts, while contributing to two more. Schatz earned Big Ten Defender-of-the-Week accolades on Oct. 20.

Johnson Continues to Produce on Offense
Nebraska’s leading goal scorer Jaycie Johnson has 11 goals through 18 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, Maryland, Michigan State, Minnesota, Purdue and Indiana. The Lake Winnebago, Mo. native has taken 61 shots this season, 38 of which have been on goal.

Schatz Named Big Ten Defender of the Week
Goalkeeper Kelly Schatz earned Big Ten Defender-of-the-Week honors on Monday, Oct. 20. Schatz helped the Huskers to a pair of shutout victories, as Nebraska took down Purdue on Friday, Oct. 17 by a 1-0 margin before defeating Indiana, 3-0, on Sunday, Oct. 19. Against the Boilermakers, Schatz collected two saves in 90 minutes of action. She added one save in 75 minutes while facing the Hoosiers.

Huskers Shutout Purdue, Indiana
Nebraska earned a weekend sweep at the Nebraska Soccer Field when the Huskers took down Purdue, 1-0, on Friday, Oct. 17, before defeating Indiana, 3-0, on Sunday, Oct. 19.

Jaycie Johnson’s goal off an assist from Caroline Gray in the 20th minute against the Boilermakers proved to be the deciding factor in the victory. Goalkeeper Kelly Schatz earned her third shutout of the season, collecting two saves in the process.

Johnson also scored against the Hoosiers after Caroline Flynn and Mayme Conroy each added goals. Flynn scored in the 12th minute off an assist from Conroy, while Conroy’s came in the 79th minute from Katie Kraeutner’s assist. Johnson scored in the 85th minute.

Huskers Drop 3-1 Decision at Minnesota
Nebraska struck first against Minnesota, but lost by a 3-1 margin after the Gophers scored three unanswered goals on Thursday, Oct. 9 at Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium.

Sophomore Jaycie Johnson scored in the 31st minute to give NU an early 1-0 lead. Senior Caroline Gray assisted on the goal, as Johnson knocked it in to the top right corner of the goal. On the defensive end, goalkeeper Kelly Schatz earned seven saves in 90 minutes of action to tie her career high.

The Gophers tied the score, 1-1, in the 42nd minute when Josee Stiever scored off an assist from Simone Kolander. Kolander also assisted on Minnesota’s second goal, as Taylor Stainbrook knocked it in to the top right corner of the goal to give the Gophers a 2-1 advantage. In the 68th minute, Stainbrook added her second goal of the game, this time off an assist from Rashida Beal.

Huskers Drop Two in Michigan
Nebraska fell to Michigan and Michigan State during a two-game road trip to the Great Lakes State to start October.

Mayme Conroy scored the lone goal for the Huskers against the Wolverines in the eighth minute. Michigan’s Nicky Waldeck responded, though, with a hat trick to lead U-M to a 3-1 triumph.

Against the Spartans, Jaycie Johnson scored in the 83rd minute off a penalty kick, but it came after Michigan State had scored three 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.

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.

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 onSunday, 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 69-27-14 record and has one home game 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.

Niemi has 31 Saves as Sharks Top Avalanche, 3-2

Colorado-Avalanche-LogoDENVER (AP) — Patrick Marleau and Joe Pavelski scored in the shootout to help the San Jose Sharks beat the Colorado Avalanche 3-2 on Tuesday night.

Antti Niemi stopped 31 shots and both Avalanche players in the shootout to give the Sharks the win.

Semyon Varlamov had a season-high 49 saves and Alex Tanguay and Gabriel Landeskog scored in regulation for the Avalanche, who have one win in four home games this season.

Marleau and Pavelski came through as the first two shooters to put the pressure on Colorado in the shootout. Niemi stopped Tanguay and then made a glove save on Matt Duchene to end the game.

Royals Rout Giants 10-0 to Force Game 7 in Series

kc-royalsKANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Lorenzo Cain looped a two-run single and Eric Hosmer chopped a two-run double over shortstop in a seven-run second inning as the Kansas City Royals battered the San Francisco Giants 10-0 Tuesday night to force a decisive Game 7 in the World Series.

Pitching with the initials of late St. Louis outfielder Oscar Taveras on his cap, 23-year-old rookie Yordano Ventura allowed three hits over seven innings for his first Series win.

Jeremy Guthrie starts Wednesday night for Kansas City and Tim Hudson for San Francisco in a rematch of Game 3, won by Kansas City 3-2. The 39-year-old Hudson will become the oldest Game 7 starter in Series history.

Lurking is Madison Bumgarner, ready to pitch in relief after stifling the Royals on a total of one run in winning Games 1 and 5.

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