Huskers – Page 108 – North Platte Post Archive

Huskers Wrapping up Preparations for Fresno

Posted on September 11, 2014

Lincoln, Neb.- The Nebraska football team continued its preparations for their first road trip of the season Saturday at the Fresno State Bulldogs, as the Huskers conducted a 50-minute walk-thru Thursday afternoon inside of the Hawks Championship Center.

Head Coach Bo Pelini addressed the media following practice, noting that the Huskers will head out to Fresno after an early afternoon practice in Lincoln.

“We have had a good week of preparation, I feel good about it,” Pelini said. “We don’t get out there until later. We are going to practice here in the early afternoon and then head out there.”

Pelini added that this week has been a pretty normal week for the Huskers.

“I thought we had a good week of prep, not as good on Tuesday, better on Wednesday which is normally how the week goes. We tied some things up today and I expect pretty good attention to detail tomorrow.”

Pelini did mention that he did not think the Huskers had a poor week of practice last week leading up to the McNeese State game, but rather just failed to play with good technique and fundamentals during the game Saturday.

“I don’t think we had a horrible week of prep last week, it was just like we didn’t have our stinger when we took the field,” he said. “I think our guys played hard, we just did not play smart and with good technique.”

According to Pelini, wide receivers Sam Burtch and Brandon Reilly will not make the trip due to injuries. This will mark the third consecutive game both Burtch and Reilly will not suit up for the Huskers.

The Nebraska football team will have one more practice Friday afternoon before getting on the plane to travel to California. The Huskers’ first road game of the season Saturday at Fresno State will be nationally televised on CBS Sports Network with a kickoff at 9:30 p.m. (Central).

Huskers Host Ameritas Players Challenge

Posted on September 11, 2014

After a 3-0 weekend on the road at the Flyer-Raider Invitational in Dayton, Ohio last weekend, the 11th-ranked Nebraska volleyball team returns home to host the Ameritas Players Challenge on Friday and Saturday at the Bob Devaney Sports Center.

The four-team tournament includes Nebraska, Akron, Colgate and Denver. The Huskers and Akron will play just two matches total, while Colgate and Denver will each play three matches. The tournament begins on Friday with Akron facing Colgate at 4:30 p.m. The Huskers host Denver Friday at 7 p.m. A tripleheader on Saturday begins with Colgate vs. Denver at 11 a.m. Denver then turns around to play Akron at 4:30 p.m. The Huskers and Colgate wrap up play Saturday at 7 p.m.

Husker volleyball season-ticket holders may attend every match of the tournament as long as they present their Husker match tickets for that day. The Huskers will take part in the 7 p.m. finale each day, but the doors and parking lots will open in time for the first match of the day (3:30 p.m. on Friday and 10 a.m. on Saturday), and tickets will be valid all day. Fans will not be required to leave the Devaney Center between matches. They also can come and go throughout the day by having their tickets scanned as they enter and leave the Devaney Center.

Media Information
Friday’s match against Denver will stream online on BTN Plus, which fans can purchase for $9.95 for one month’s access. Saturday’s match will be available online with a HuskersNSide subscription at Huskers.com. Fans can also listen to the action with John Baylor and Diane Mendenhall 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.

Last Time Out
After the Huskers dropped their first two matches of the season to Florida State and Stanford at home, going on the road last weekend proved to be just what the Huskers needed. NU posted wins over Dayton (3-0), Bakersfield (3-1) and Eastern Kentucky (3-0) and became more consistent as the weekend went on, culminating with a 25-7 third-set win over Eastern Kentucky. Kelsey Fien had a breakout weekend, notching a career-high 17 kills in the win over Bakersfield. For the weekend, the junior outside hitter had 4.3 kills per set and hit .340. All-American Kadie Rolfzen got untracked with 4.1 kills per set while hitting .398.

Up Next
Nebraska plays its final two non-conference matches at home next week. The Huskers host in-state rival Creighton on Wednesday, Sept. 17 at 7 p.m. at the Bob Devaney Sports Center. It will air on NET and BTN Plus. The Huskers finish non-conference play when No. 2 Texas visits the Devaney Center on Saturday, Sept. 20 at 2 p.m. That match will also air on NET and BTN Plus.

Noting the Huskers
• Last Saturday, Nebraska beat Eastern Kentucky 25-7 in set three and Bakersfield 25-8 in set two. Nebraska held three opponents to single-digit points in 25-point sets three times all of last year and did so just twice in 2012 and once in 2011.
• Junior outside hitter Kelsey Fien notched a career-high 17 kills against Bakersfield. Fien may have had extra motivation, as she is a native of Bakersfield, Calif. For the weekend, she averaged 4.3 kills per set to lead the Big Red, and she is the only Husker averaging more than three kills per set this season at 4.0, which ranks second in the Big Ten and 53rd nationally.
• Senior setter Mary Pollmiller and sophomore outside hitter Kadie Rolfzen were named to the Flyer-Raider Invitational All-Tournament Team, with Pollmiller taking home MVP honors.
• After a tough opening weekend, Kadie Rolfzen responded at the Flyer-Raider Invitational with a season-high 15 kills against Dayton and Bakersfield and a career-best .667 hitting percentage against Eastern Kentucky. Rolfzen averaged 4.1 kills per set after 1.0 kills per set on opening weekend.
• The Huskers rank second in the Big Ten in digs per set (15.53). Kadie Rolfzen (3.38 per set) and Justine Wong-Orantes (3.24 per set) lead the Big Red.
• With its No. 11 ranking, Nebraska has appeared in every one of the AVCA’s 465 all-time weekly polls. NU and Stanford are the only two programs to appear in every AVCA poll, dating back to its inception in 1982.
• Nebraska has spent a nation-leading 418 weeks in the top 10.
• The Huskers are 226-0 under Cook when hitting .300 or better.
• NU is 367-15 (.961) when winning the first set under John Cook.
• Nebraska is 138-39 against ranked teams under Cook (.780).
• Just over one-third of Cook’s total victories at Nebraska (416) have come against ranked teams.
• Nebraska volleyball leads the nation with 203 consecutive sellouts, the longest sellout streak in the history of NCAA women’s athletics. NU owns a 188-15 record during the streak.

Series History
• Nebraska will be playing Denver for the first time.
• The Huskers are 1-0 all-time against Colgate, sweeping the Raiders on Sept. 1, 2012 (25-12, 25-19, 25-13) in Irvine, Calif.

Scouting the Denver Pioneers
Denver is 5-2 after opening the season with five wins before dropping its last two, 3-1 to Kansas and 3-0 at Colorado State on Tuesday. The Pioneers went 3-0 at the College Park Maverick Classic in Arlington, Texas to start the season, posting wins over Jackson State (3-0), Incarnate Word (3-1) and UT Arlington (3-2). Denver also swept Sam Houston State and Bradley before dropping its last two.

The Pioneers have six starters back from last year’s squad that went 17-13 and finished second in the Summit League at 10-4. The Pioneers were picked as the Summit League preseason favorite this season. Moni Corrujedo leads the team with 74 kills and is averaging 3.36 per set. She was Denver’s leader last year as well with 323 kills (2.96 per set). Setter Bailey Karst averages 9.05 assists per set and 2.18 digs per set. Kate Acker leads the team with 4.0 digs per set.
Head Coach Jesse Mahoney is in his third season at the helm with a record of 39-28. Mahoney was the head coach at Fort Hays State from 1999-2004 and compiled a 107-82 record before becoming an associate head coach at Colorado State.

Scouting the Colgate Raiders
Colgate enters the weekend with a 2-2 record with wins over Niagara and Cleveland State and three-set losses to Pennsylvania and Georgetown. The Raiders went 22-9 last year and 13-3 in the Patriot League, advancing to the conference championship match. The Raiders have four starters back.

2013 Patriot League Player of the Year Diane Seely has a team-high 36 kills and averages 2.57 per set. She is also hitting a team-best .301 and leads the team with 16 blocks. Seely, a senior middle blocker, was voted the Patriot League’s top player in 2013 with 355 kills and 97 blocks. She ranked third in the league with a .332 hitting percentage and was fourth in kills per set (3.26) and sixth in blocks per set (0.89). Setter Jackie Macy has 89 assists for 6.36 per set, and freshman Elena Simpson leads the Raiders with 43 digs (3.07 per set).
Ryan Baker is in his ninth season as head coach with a 131-110 record at Colgate. He is 154-121 overall in his 10th season as a head coach.

Huskers Open Big Ten Play on Thursday

Posted on September 10, 2014

The Nebraska soccer team (4-2) begins its conference slate on Thursday by hosting Northwestern in a Big Ten Network televised game at 2:30 p.m. (CT) at the Nebraska Soccer Field. The Huskers complete their weekend home stand on Sunday against Illinois at 1 p.m.

Nebraska and Northwestern are meeting for the seventh time in series history, with the Huskers holding a 5-1-0 advantage. The Big Red has won the last three meetings, which includes a 2-1 triumph on the road in 2013.

The Huskers and Fighting Illini are set to battle for the sixth time, with Illinois leading the series, 4-1-0. NU picked up its first win against Illinois last season by a 3-2 margin.

Thursday’s match will be televised by the Big Ten Network, as Kevin Kugler and Danielle Slaton call the action from the Nebraska Soccer Field. Sunday’s game will be streamed on the Big Ten Digital Network.

Last Time Out: Huskers Respond to Double OT Heartbreaker with 4-0 Triumph
Nebraska went 1-1 at home over the weekend, 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.

Scouting the Northwestern Wildcats
Northwestern is 4-1-1 on the season with victories over Marquette, UIC, Miami (Ohio) and Saint Louis. The Wildcats lost their first game of the 2014 campaign to Fairleigh Dickinson, but haven’t lost since. That stretch includes a 0-0 tie against Missouri on Sept. 5.

Addie Steiner has led the Northwestern offense with six goals, while Kim Jerantowski has scored twice. Niki Sebo, Grace Orndorff and Rachel Zampa each have one goal this season. Goalkeeper Lauren Clem has given up only two goals in nearly 539 minutes of action. She has 18 saves, while completing three shutouts.

Scouting the Illinois Fighting Illini
Illinois is 5-1-0 this season and holds a five-match win streak heading into the weekend. The Fighting Illini lost their season opener to Notre Dame by a 3-1 margin before reeling off victories over Louisville, Arizona State, Oakland, College of Charleston and UAB. Illinois will face Iowa on Friday before its match on Sunday against the Huskers.

Jannelle Flaws leads the Fighting Illini in goals scored with four over a span of six games. Allison Stucky, Abby Elinsky and Amy Feher have each scored twice, while Reagan Robishaw, Kara Marbury and Emily Osoba each have one goal. Goalkeepers Claire Wheatley and Michelle Denley have split time at the position. Wheatley has started four games and has eight saves over 405 minutes. Denley has 10 saves over 142 minutes.

Schatz Filling Goalkeeper Role
Sophomore Kelly Schatz has started all six games at goalkeeper for the Huskers this season, playing over 514 minutes. Schatz has 18 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 six goals on the season, but holds a .750 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 six games.

Johnson has 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 26 shots this season, 18 of which have been on goal.

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 66-26-12 record and has seven 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 will appear on the Big Ten Network three times this season, while also making seven Big Ten Digital Network showings.

The Huskers open BTN’s 2014 soccer coverage this Thursday against Northwestern at the Nebraska Soccer Field. The game is scheduled to start at 2:30 p.m.

Nebraska will 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.

Nebraska Man Sentenced in Championship Ring Theft

Posted on September 10, 2014

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A Lincoln man who pleaded no contest to stealing a Nebraska volleyball coach’s championship rings has been sentenced to 18 months to 3 years in prison.

29-year-old Dallas Jordan was sentenced Tuesday. He pleaded no contest in August to theft of University of Nebraska-Lincoln volleyball coach John Cook’s rings.

Police say Jordan in March took at least four Big 12 Championship rings and a national championship ring from an unlocked display case at the Devaney Sports Center. They say he sold two of the rings for $860 to an undercover officer in late March. Those are the only rings that have been recovered.

Jordan will receive credit for 165 days served at the Lancaster County Jail.

Beck Wants More Offensive Consistency

Posted on September 9, 2014

Lincoln, Neb.- The Nebraska football team continued its preparations for the third game of the season with a 90-minute practice Tuesdayafternoon at the Hawks Championship Center and outside on the Ed and Joyanne Gass practice fields. The Huskers will travel to Fresno Statethis Saturday for the first away game of the season at Bulldog Stadium.

Both offensive coordinator Tim Beck and defensive coordinator John Papuchis met with the media following practice.

Beck made note that he would like to see a lot more consistency in the ‘Red Storm’ NU offense.

“We have to be more consistent, we were not very good in the second half at all,” Beck said. “Too many three-and-outs, we have to convert and stay on the field. We did not do a good job doing that.”

Sophomore quarterback Tommy Armstrong will look to add to his already impressive 4-0 record away from the friendly confines of Memorial Stadium in Lincoln. Beck said that he just wants Armstrong to execute like he is supposed to, and it will not matter if NU is playing home or away.

“I just want him to play within the system, read what he is supposed to read, and deliver the ball to the guys he is supposed to deliver the ball to with proper technique,” Beck said. “When he does that, he is pretty good, when he doesn’t he is not very good. I don’t care if it is home or away.”

On the defensive side of the ball, junior standout defensive end Randy Gregory returned to practice following a minor knee injury. According to Papuchis, Gregory looked good in his first day back, but did not compete in all of the team drills during practice.

“Obviously whenever you can add a player with his ability back into the mix, it will obviously make you better; so it is good to have him back,” Papuchis said. “He didn’t do a whole lot of the team stuff, but he was out there moving around really well.”

As for what it means for the Blackshirt defense now that Gregory is back, Papuchis said that if Gregory plays his best, he is one of the best players out on the field.

“If he goes out and plays the way he is capable of, he is one of better defensive players in the country,” he said. “So having him back certainly helps.”

The Huskers will be back on the practice fields Wednesday as the Nebraska football continues its preparations for their first road trip of the 2014 season at Fresno State on Saturday Sept. 13, at 9:30 p.m. (Central). Fans can tune in to national broadcast on the CBS Sports Network.

Burroughs Takes Bronze at World Championships

Posted on September 9, 2014

Tashkent, Uzbekistan – Olympic Gold Medalist and Nebraska Assistant Coach Jordan Burroughs earned the freestyle bronze medal at 74 kg/163 pounds at the 2014 FILA World Championships after going 4-1 at the Gymnastics Palace on Tuesday.

In his first-round match, Burroughs injured his left knee, but managed a 4-3 victory over Guinea Bisau’s Augusto Midana. Burroughs dominated in his next two matches, defeating Korea’s Yunseok Lee and Uzbekistan’s Rashid Kurbanov by a combined score of 18-2.

Burroughs held a 3-2 lead over Lee after the first period, but took command for the rest of the match in a 13-2 win. In the quarterfinals, Burroughs took down Kurbanov by a 5-0 margin to advance to the semifinals against Denis Tsargush of Russia.

Wrestling with a wrapped leg, Burroughs fell behind 7-0 in the first period and never recovered, dropping a 9-2 decision to Tsargush. The loss marked his first to a foreign opponent on the international circuit.

Burroughs responded in the bronze medal match with a first-period fall in 2:48. His opponent, Rustam Dudaev of Ukraine, earned the first takedown but Burroughs built a 6-2 lead before pinning Dudaev.

After Tuesday’s performance, Burroughs holds a 92-2 record internationally, earning gold medals at the 2012 Olympics, as well as the 2011 and 2013 FILA World Championships. At Nebraska, he won national titles in 2009 and 2011, capturing the Hodge Trophy in his final year with the Huskers.

2014 FILA World Championships
Sept. 8-14 at Gymnastics Palace, Tashkent, Uzbekistan

Burroughs’ Road to the Bronze Medal at 74 kg/163 pounds
First Round: Jordan Burroughs (USA) def. Augusto Midana (Guinea Bisau), 4-3
Second Round: Jordan Burroughs (USA) def. Yunseok Lee (Korea), 13-2
Quarterfinals: Jordan Burroughs (USA) def. Rashid Kurbanov (Uzbekistan), 5-0
Semifinals: Denis Tsargush (Russia) def. Jordan Burroughs (USA), 9-2
Bronze Medal Match: Jordan Burroughs (USA) def. Rustam Dudaev (Ukraine) by fall, 2:48

Huskers’ Pelini says Abdullah Needed More Touches

Posted on September 8, 2014

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska coach Bo Pelini used his weekly news conference to take responsibility for his team’s poor performance in an embarrassingly close win over McNeese State.

The Huskers (2-0) are unranked this week after going into the McNeese State game ranked No. 19. Since the AP poll expanded to 25 teams in 1989, no team ranked as high had ever dropped out after a win.

Nebraska, which plays at Fresno State (0-2) on Saturday, had problems on multiple fronts. Of particular concern was the use of star running back Ameer Abdullah. He touched the ball just once in the fourth quarter before he broke the 58-yard winning touchdown with 20 seconds to play.

Pelini said he should have demanded that offensive coordinator Tim Beck get Abdullah more involved.

Foltz Earns Big Ten Honor

Posted on September 8, 2014

Lincoln – Nebraska punter Sam Foltz was honored for his performance against McNeese State on Saturday, as he was named Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week. It is the first time the Grand Island native has received the Big Ten honor, and marks the second straight week a Husker has received a Big Ten weekly award.

Foltz averaged a career-best 51.2 yards on six punts in Nebraska’s 31-24 win over McNeese State on Saturday. Four of his six punts were placed inside the 20-yard line, helping the Huskers win the field position battle by more than 16 yards per possession. His four punts inside the 20 were the second-highest number of his career. In addition, five of his six punts went at least 50 yards, including a 61-yarder in the fourth quarter, while Nebraska had a net punting average of 48.0 yards on his six kicks.

His 61-yard punt in the fourth quarter was the third-longest punt of his Husker career, while all of his five second-half punts went for at least 50 yards. In addition, Foltz was also named the National Punter of the Week by the College Football Performance Awards

The Huskers return to action Saturday night as they travel to Fresno State. Kickoff is set for 9:30 p.m. (CT) on the CBS College Sports Network and statewide on the Husker Sports Radio Network.

Abdullah Named to Hornung Honor Roll

Posted on September 8, 2014

Lincoln – Husker I-back Ameer Abdullah was one of four players around the nation named to the Paul Hornung Award Honor Roll exemplifying their versatility on the field.

Abdullah earned the honored as he totaled 184 all-purpose yards in a 31-24 win over McNeese State. His 58-yard touchdown reception with 20 seconds left, which was the No. 1 play on ESPN’s SportsCenter on Saturday, provided the winning margin for the Huskers. It was one of three receptions for the Husker I-back, as he finished with a career-high 96 receiving yards on three catches. His 96 receiving yards were the most by a Husker I-back since 2007. In addition, he also had 54 yards and a scoring run on 17 carries and had a 34-yard kickoff return.

Abdullah is now 247 yards shy of Nebraska’s all-purpose yards record of 5,686 held by 1972 Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Rodgers.

The Huskers return to action Saturday night as they travel to Fresno State. Kickoff is set for 9:30 p.m. (CT) on the CBS College Sports Network and statewide on the Husker Sports Radio Network.

This Week in Nebraska Athletics

Posted on September 8, 2014

Mon.-Tues. Sept. 8-9 Women’s Golf Chip-N Club Invitational Wilderness Ridge 9/8:30 a.m.

Thursday Sept. 11 Soccer Northwestern (BTN) Nebraska Soccer Field 2:30 p.m.

Fri.-Sun. Sept. 12-14 Women’s Tennis at Racquet Club Collegiate Invitational Midland, Texas TBA

Friday Sept. 12 Volleyball Akron vs. Colgate (Ameritas Players Challenge) Devaney Center 4:30 p.m.

Friday Sept. 12 Volleyball Denver (Ameritas Players Challenge) Devaney Center 7 p.m.

Saturday Sept. 13 Volleyball Colgate vs. Denver (Ameritas Players Challenge) Devaney Center 11 a.m.

Saturday Sept. 13 Volleyball Akron vs. Denver (Ameritas Players Challenge) Devaney Center 4:30 p.m.

Saturday Sept. 13 Volleyball Colgate (Ameritas Players Challenge) Devaney Center 7 p.m.

Saturday Sept. 13 Football at Fresno State (CBS Sports Network) Devaney Center 9:30 p.m.

Sunday Sept. 14 Soccer Illinois (BTDN) Nebraska Soccer Field 1 p.m.

Sunday Sept. 15 Softball Red-White Scrimmage Doris Bair Complex 3 p.m.

Mon.-Tues. Sept. 15-16 Women’s Golf at Minnesota Invitational Minneapolis, Minn. 8:30 p.m.