Huskers – Page 94 – North Platte Post Archive

Pelini Praises D-Line Heading into Purdue Game

Posted on October 31, 2014

Lincoln, Neb. – Nebraska Head Coach Bo Pelini said the Huskers “had a good week of practice” after Thursday’s 45-minute walkthrough at the Hawks Championship Center.

“We got a lot done here today,” Pelini said. “We cleaned up some of the things we went through earlier in the week. We knew that (Purdue) had two weeks to prepare. We threw a lot at our guys and our challenge is to make sure across the board we understand our game plan and we execute.”

Pelini also praised his interior defensive linemen, especially sophomore Maliek Collins, whom Pelini compared to two-time All-American Glenn Dorsey (LSU, 2006-07).

“Maliek Collins reminds me of a player I coached at LSU big time,” Pelini said. “And that’s high praise, because Glenn Dorsey was a heckuva player. Maliek reminds me a lot of Dorsey, except he’s bigger.”

Pelini added that he expects Purdue’s defense to throw a lot at Nebraska’s offense.

“It’s been interesting to watch their evolution,” Pelini said. “They gave us a lot of really unusual looks. This year, they’ve had a number of different looks, a little bit like a flavor of the week type of defense as far as what we’ve seen from these guys. How they decide to come out and play us – your guess is as good as mine to a certain extent. We have to be ready to adjust to what they do. I think our guys understand the plan and what we are doing, and we’ve given them a lot of different looks throughout the week to prepare them.”

On the injury front, Pelini said that he anticipates tight end Cethan Carter to be back after the bye week, which begins following Saturday’s matchup against Purdue. Pelini added that linebacker Marcus Newby and place kicker Mauro Bondi will not be available for Saturday.

The Huskers host Purdue on Saturday at Memorial Stadium at 2:30 p.m. The game will be televised to a regional audience on ABC, and will be available to others on ESPN2 and ESPN3.

Lady Huskers Open Season at No. 16 in AP Poll

Posted on October 30, 2014

The Nebraska women’s basketball team opens the 2014-15 campaign with a No. 16 ranking in the Associated Press Preseason Top 25 released on Thursday, Oct. 30.

The Huskers, who return four starters from a 2013-14 squad that finished 26-7 overall and 12-4 in the Big Ten, are one of five Big Ten Conference teams in the AP Preseason Poll, joining No. 10 Maryland, No. 14 Michigan State, No. 19 Iowa and No. 24 Rutgers.

Nebraska finished the 2013-14 season at No. 13 in the AP Poll and No. 17 in the USA Today Coaches Top 25. The coaches preseason poll will be released at a later date.

Defending national champion UConn was a unanimous No. 1, while South Carolina opens the year at No. 2 ahead of No. 3 Notre Dame and No. 4 Tennessee. Texas A&M rounds out the top five, while Stanford sits at No. 6.

Duke, which will come to Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln on Wednesday, Dec. 3, to face Nebraska in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge is ranked No. 7 in the AP Preseason Top 25. Tip-off for the battle between the Big Red and the Blue Devils is set for 6:30 p.m.

No. 8 Baylor and No. 9 Texas join Maryland in completing the preseason top 10. The Terrapins, who enter their first season in the Big Ten Conference, advanced to the NCAA Women’s Final Four last year. They will make their first trip to Lincoln as a Big Ten foe when the Huskers take on the Terps on Saturday, Jan. 3, at 3 p.m. That game will be televised nationally by CBS. Nebraska and Maryland will meet again in College Park, Md., on Sunday, Feb. 8, at 3 p.m., in a game that will be nationally televised by ESPN2.

Overall, Nebraska is scheduled to play eight games against teams ranked in the AP Preseason Poll, including a game at No. 14 Michigan State on Jan. 8, two games against No. 19 Iowa (Jan. 26, Iowa City; Feb. 12, Pinnacle Bank Arena), a road game at No. 23 UCLA on Nov. 28, and a road battle at No. 24 Rutgers on Feb. 5.

In addition to the five Big Ten teams in the top 25, Purdue (27th), Penn State (28th), Minnesota (38th) and Northwestern (tied for 45th) were all among the team receiving votes.

The Huskers will face Penn State (Jan. 15) and Purdue (Jan. 19) in back-to-back home games at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Nebraska opens Big Ten play at Minnesota on Monday, Dec. 29, before playing its second-to-last home game against the Gophers in Lincoln on Tuesday, Feb. 24. All four of those games will be televised nationally by the Big Ten Network. The Big Red will battle Northwestern in Evanston, Ill., on Feb. 18.

Coach Connie Yori, who has earned back-to-back Big Ten Coach-of-the-Year honors, enters her 13th season leading the Huskers as they take aim at their fourth consecutive NCAA Tournament trip in 2015.

Nebraska opens that journey with a home exhibition game against Wayne State College on Sunday, Nov. 2, at 2 p.m. The Wildcats went 28-5 last season and enter the 2014-15 campaign ranked No. 6 in NCAA Division II. Season and single-game tickets are available now at Huskers.com.

2014-15 Associated Press Preseason Top 25
1. UConn [35] (875)
2. South Carolina (824)
3. Notre Dame (798)
4. Tennessee (749)
5. Texas A&M (702)
6. Stanford (645)
7. Duke (577)
8. Baylor (573)
9. Texas (532)
10. Maryland (531)
11. Kentucky (522)
12. Louisville (505)
13. North Carolina (504)
14. Michigan State (433)
15. California (423)
16. Nebraska (314)
17. West Virginia (306)
18. DePaul (301)
19. Iowa (236)
20. Oregon State (183)
21. Oklahoma State (158)
22. Dayton (95)
23. UCLA (86)
T24. Rutgers (65)
T24. Syracuse (65)
Receiving votes: LSU 58, Purdue 45, Penn State 43, Georgia 37, Gonzaga 28, NC State 24, Vanderbilt 23, Oklahoma 17, Arkansas 14, BYU 14, Mississippi State 13, Florida State 10, Minnesota 8, South Florida 8, St. John’s 7, Oregon 5, Green Bay 4, Western Kentucky 4, Middle Tennessee 3, Iowa State 2, Northwestern 2, Albany (1), Arizona State (1), Colorado State (1), James Madison (1)

Green, Kokesh Open Season at NWCA Classic

Posted on October 30, 2014

James-Green-Nebraska-Wrestling — James Green

Match Day: NWCA All-Star Classic
Date: Saturday, Nov. 1
Time: 6 p.m. CT
Location: The Palestra (Philadelphia, Pa.)
Video Streaming: Flowrestling.org (subscription required)
Live Stats: TrackWrestling.com
Event Information: http://www.nwcaonline.com/nwcawebsite/Events/nwcaallstarclassic.aspx

Seniors James Green (157) and Robert Kokesh (174) begin their final season in a Husker singlet on Saturday night at the NWCA All-Star Classic at The Palestra in Philadelphia, Pa.

Video streaming for the event will be provided by Flowrestling.com, with a subscription required to view the matches. TrackWrestling.com will have live stats.

Green, the second-ranked wrestler at 157 pounds by InterMat, will battle No. 3 Ian Miller of Kent State. Kokesh, the No. 2 wrestler at 174 pounds, faces NAIA No. 1 and three-time national champion Brock Gutches of Southern Oregon.

Green, a three-time All-American, finished third at the 2014 NCAA Championships after dominating Miller by a 13-1 major decision in his final match of the tournament. Green collected seventh-place NCAA finishes during his freshman and sophomore seasons at Nebraska. He also won the 2014 Big Ten title at 157 pounds, and finished his junior campaign with a 35-2 record, which included 10 major decisions, five pins and four technical falls.

For his career at Nebraska, Green is 94-17 in three seasons, and holds a 37-7 mark in dual competition. He seeks to become the second wrestler in Nebraska history to earn All-America honors on four occasions, a title currently owned by Associate Head Coach Bryan Snyder, who wrestled from 1999 to 2002.

Green’s opponent, Miller, went 31-6 last season on his way to a fourth-place finish at the NCAA Championships. He also won the 2014 Mid-American Conference title at 157 pounds after redshirting in 2012-13. Miller is a junior in 2014-15.

Kokesh, a two-time All-American, finished fourth at the 2014 NCAA Championships after capturing the 174-pound Big Ten title. The Wagner, S.D., native took third place in 2013, and holds a career record of 105-14. Kokesh compiled a 37-3 record last season, which included a perfect 14-0 dual record. He led the team in dual points (67) and pins (9), while adding five technical falls and 10 major decisions.

Kokesh and Green become the 30th and 31st Husker wrestlers to compete at the NWCA All-Star Classic and the first since 2009 when Jordan Burroughs, Stephen Dwyer and Craig Brester all competed.

Husker Wrestling Hosts Intrasquad on Friday

Posted on October 30, 2014

Match Day: Nebraska Coaches Clinic/Intrasquad
Date: Friday, Oct. 31
Time: 5 p.m. CT
Location: Devaney Center (Lincoln, Neb.)

The Nebraska wrestling team will hold its annual Intrasquad in conjunction with the Fall Coaches Clinic on Friday night at the Bob Devaney Sports Center. The Intrasquad starts at 5 p.m. (CT).

The event is free admission and will assist the Husker coaching staff in determining NU’s starting lineup for the 2014-15 season. Head Coach Mark Manning will be wearing a microphone for the duration of competition.

The Huskers begin their dual season on the road against Wyoming on Friday, Nov. 7 at 4 p.m. Nebraska’s first home dual is Sunday, Nov. 16 against Maryland at the NU Coliseum at 1 p.m. NU’s five remaining home duals after Maryland will be contested at the Devaney Center.

Nebraska Intrasquad Matchups
Round 1
1. Tim Lambert vs. Brian Peska
2. Mitchell Maginnis vs. Eric Coufal
3. Eric Montoya vs. Darrian Schwenke
4. Aris Shino vs. Sean Murphy
5. Anthony Abidin vs. Colton Adams
6. Hayden Tuma vs. Colton McCrystal
7. Justin Arthur vs. Tyrell Galloway
8. Tyler Berger vs. Luis DeAnda
9. Austin Chauncey vs. John Svoboda
10. Austin Wilson vs. Ian Ousley
11. Dustin Williams vs. Gage Anderson
12. Eric Engler vs. TJ Dudley
13. Jake Anderson vs. Aaron Studebaker
14. Spencer Johnson vs. Derek White
15. Micah Barnes vs. Josh Kettel
16. Collin Jensen vs. Nyle Bartling

Round 2
1. Tim Lambert vs. Mitchell Maginnis
2. Eric Montoya vs. Eric Coufal
3. Darrian Schwenke vs. Sean Murphy
4. Brian Peska vs. Aris Shino
5. Anthony Abidin vs. Hayden Tuma
6. Colton McCrystal vs. Colton Adams
7. Justin Arthur vs. Tyler Berger
8. Luis DeAnda vs. John Svoboda
9. Tyrell Galloway vs. Austin Chauncey
10. Austin Wilson vs. Gage Anderson
11. Dustin Williams vs. Ian Ousley
12. TJ Dudley vs. Jake Anderson
13. Eric Engler vs. Aaron Studebaker
14. Spencer Johnson vs. Josh Kettel
15. Micah Barnes vs. Derek White
16. Collin Jensen vs. Nyle Bartling

Big Ten Wrestling Opens 2014-15 Campaign This Week

Posted on October 30, 2014

ROSEMONT, Ill. – The 2014-15 Big Ten wrestling season begins this weekend, with six conference teams taking the mat. On Saturday, Nebraska will open its campaign in Philadelphia at the NWCA All-Star Classic. On Sunday, Maryland will travel to Clarion, Pa., for the Clarion Open, while Rutgers will host the Rutgers Duals. Michigan State will welcome Michigan and Ohio State to the Michigan State Open.

Six teams begin the season next weekend. On Saturday, Nov. 8, Indiana will compete at the Harold Nichols Open in Ames, Iowa, while Minnesota will compete in the Bison Open in Fargo, N.D. Northwestern will travel to Stanford for a dual meet, while Wisconsin begins its season at the Stevens Point Open. Illinois will host the Illini Quad on Nov. 9, while Penn State will welcome Lehigh to Rec Hall.

Iowa and Purdue will open the 2014-15 campaign later this month. The Boilermakers will face Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, Calif., on Nov. 14, while the Hawkeyes will compete in the Luther Open in Decorah, Iowa on Nov. 15.

Nine teams enter the season ranked among the top 20 of the first InterMat College Dual Meet Rankings, including four in the top five and the top three spots in the poll. Minnesota leads the way at No. 1, followed by No. 2 Ohio State, No. 3 Iowa, No. 5 Penn State and No. 7 Nebraska. Michigan begins the season ranked No. 9, followed by No. 11 Illinois, No. 14 Wisconsin and No. 16 Northwestern.

Huskers Open Season with Big Red Tip-Off

Posted on October 29, 2014

Lincoln – 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.

Huskers Visit Big Ten Newcomers

Posted on October 29, 2014

Huskers 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.

Huskers Face Iowa for Senior Day

Posted on October 29, 2014

The 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.

Huskers Gearing up for Purdue

Posted on October 28, 2014

Lincoln, Neb.- The Nebraska football team continued its preparations for its Saturday afternoon Big Ten West showdown with the Purdue Boilermakers on Tuesday afternoon, as the Huskers practiced for nearly two hours inside of the Hawks Championship Center and outside on the Ed and Joyanne Gass practice fields.

Husker Defensive Coordinator John Papuchis spoke with media members following practice, mentioning that Purdue has been on a roll in recent weeks, after settling on sophomore quarterback Austin Appleby. Appleby replaced Danny Etling who started against Nebraska last season in West Lafayette.

“Since they went to a one quarterback system they have really made some significant strides in their offense in the last three games,” Papuchis said. “They tweaked some things, added a little bit to their package, I think they have been playing really well.”

Purdue also showcases two dynamic running backs, both with an abundance of speed in Akeem Hunt and Raheem Mostert.

“Both backs are pretty dynamic, barely do you ever run into a situation where you have two running backs that are that fast,” he said. “You have to make it that much more imperative to get your gaps down, everyone executing their responsibility and you don’t let a missed gap into a big play.”

Hunt leads the Boilermakers in rushing, with 640 yards on 104 carries, while adding five touchdowns.

NU Offensive Coordinator Tim Beck also spoke with the media after practice, noting that Purdue has definitely improved defensively under second-year Head Coach Darrell Hazell.

“It looks like they have settled defensively, they are big up front, big linebackers and aggressive,” Beck said. “You can see they have settled into what they want to do.”

In last year’s 44-7 win over Purdue, the Huskers were not fazed by some different looks the Boilermakers used on defense. When Beck was asked if he expects the same thing this season, he did not know, but he is confident that the team is prepared for anything.

“I think last year they had some injuries upfront, so I think they had to do that more than they wanted too, I think,” Beck said. “Obviously we are prepared for everything, because the situation—the way that it is, we have to be able to adjust during the game, even this year since they had an extra week to prepare for us.”

The Nebraska football team will continue its preparations for its Saturday afternoon game on Wednesday afternoon. The Huskers Big Ten conference clash against Purdue will be regionally televised on ABC at 2:30 pm (Central), or can be seen nationally on ESPN2.

Huskers Looking for More after Breakthrough Season

Posted on October 28, 2014

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — These are heady days for the Nebraska basketball program.

The Cornhuskers are coming off their highest conference finish and first NCAA tournament appearance since 1998, and played to sellout crowds in their first year at Pinnacle Bank Arena.

Shavon Shields said when he and his teammates went out to lunch or to the movies during the offseason, well-wishers were quick to slap them on the back and urge them to keep the wins coming.

There’s even a waiting list for season-tickets now — almost unimaginable for a program that hasn’t won a conference championship since 1950.

“I’ve had a blast. That’s what it’s supposed to be like,” third-year coach Tim Miles said of the vibe around his program. “I think it’s earned with these guys. But now staying there and continuing to elevate is sometimes more difficult than the innocent climb to get where they are now.”

All five starters, including Big Ten scoring leader Terran Petteway, return from the team that went 19-13 and won eight of its last nine regular-season games to finish fourth in the conference. Along the way they knocked off two top-10 opponents, Michigan State on the road and Final Four participant Wisconsin at home.

“Preseason hype is always based on the year-before’s performance, and I think our guys finished so strong that naturally they’re going to get attention because we return a large part of our team,” Miles said. “But every year’s different. Last year we got hot. I don’t know that means you’re exactly a good team.

“This year we’re out to prove we can be a good team.”

Shields said he appreciates the excitement surrounding the Huskers. Still, he and his teammates weren’t satisfied with how last season ended because they fell short of their goals — winning a Big Ten regular-season title or a game in the NCAA tournament (they lost 74-60 to Baylor).

“Everybody is kind of hungry to build on some of the good things we did, but we need to push that farther,” Shields said.

Here are some things to watch for the coming season, which begins Nov. 16 against Northern Kentucky:

PROMISING NEWCOMERS: Graduate transfer Moses Abraham and freshmen Tarin Smith and Jake Hammond are in line for significant playing time.

The 6-foot-9, 252-pound Abraham will provide some bulk when Miles wants to go with a big lineup. Abraham blocked 23 shots while averaging 13 minutes a game for Georgetown last season.

Smith was a two-year starter at point guard in coach Bob Hurley’s famed St. Anthony High program in Jersey City, New Jersey, while the 6-foot-10, 230-pound Hammond averaged 26 points and 15 rebounds at Comanche (Okla.) High last season.

PRESEASON RANKING? The Huskers are poised to be ranked in The Associated Press’ preseason Top 25 for the second time, and first since 1992-93. Miles said he would welcome a ranking because it would show prospective recruits his program is recognized nationally.

CHANGING HIS GAME: Miles wants the 6-foot-10 Walter Pitchford to get to the free-throw line more than his average last season of 3.3 times a game. Pitchford is a matchup nightmare because he’s a 41 percent 3-point shooter, but Miles said he also needs the forward to attack the rim and get fouled.

ALL ABOUT DEFENSE: Nebraska became one of the Big Ten’s better defensive teams during conference play, and Miles said that needs to continue. The Huskers were second in field-goal defense and third in scoring defense in Big Ten games.

PETTEWAY THE PRO? Petteway already has drawn the attention of pro scouts and if he has another big year, he could be Nebraska’s first NBA first-round draft pick since Venson Hamilton in 1999.

Petteway, a junior, is scheduled to graduate in May.

“If he’s got a chance to secure his future, I would advise him to do that,” Miles said. “Would I love to keep him here and see what he can do? Absolutely. At the same time, you only get those cracks so many times in life.”