St. Paul, Minn. - The Huskers scored a finish in each half while keeping the Gophers scoreless, as the Nebraska soccer team defeated Minnesota on the road 2-0 Sunday afternoon. 

The win over the Gophers marked the Huskers’ fourth-straight conference victory, and NU’s 11 wins on the season ties for the most since 2016, when the team qualified for the NCAA Tournament. With the 2-0 defeat, Nebraska improved to 11-2-3 (5-1-2 Big Ten), while Minnesota fell to 6-5-4 (2-4-2 Big Ten). 

Weber started where she left off and continued her strong offensive attack as she recorded the first shot for either team in the fifth minute hitting the crossbar. Then in the 16th minute, Weber tallied her ninth finish of the season off a free kick from Nicola Hauk. Hauk drove the free kick into the 18-yard box, which was met by the Minnesota defense. Weber then gathered the ball off a header from the defense and shot the ball into the back right corner of the net. 

Weber is now third in the conference standings in goals scored and second in both shots and shots on goal behind fellow Husker Eleanor Dale. 

At the half, the Huskers led 1-0 overall and held the advantage in shots (7-5) and shots on goal (4-1). 

The Huskers then extended their lead to 2-0 in the 52nd minute as Florence Belzile scored her third goal of the season. Gwen Lane, off a driving pass from Dale through the Gopher defense, sent a pass to Belzile in the goal box who found the back of the net past the Minnesota goalie. Dale’s assist brought her total points on the season to 46, good for first in the conference and second nationally. 

The Gophers were aggressive and had chances to get on the board, but the Husker defense held steady to earn NU’s fifth shutout of the season.

Overall, Minnesota led in shots (16-10) and corners (11-0), but Nebraska had the advantage in shots on goal (6-2). Five Huskers recorded shots, led by Dale (4), Weber (2) and Belzile (2). Abbey Schwarz and Sadie Waite tallied a shot apiece. 

In the goal, senior Sami Hauk played the entire game, earned her 22nd career win and recorded two saves. Hauk was joined by Lauryn Anglim, Dale, Nicola Hauk and Haley Peterson who also played 90 minutes. 

Up next, the Huskers host Purdue for NU’s regular-season home finale on Thursday, Oct. 19 at 7:05 p.m. (CT). Action will be streamed on Big Ten Plus. 

HUSKERS FALL IN ITA REGIONAL SEMIS

Lawrence, Kan. - The Nebraska women’s tennis team wrapped up competition at the ITA Regionals as Isabel Adrover Gallego and Raphaëlle Lacasse fell in the doubles semifinals.

This finish marks the first time in 17 years a Husker doubles pair has made an appearance in the ITA Regionals semifinals. In 2006, Imke Reimers and Maria Ring fell 8-3 against Arkansas before Reimers went on to win the ITA Central Regional Singles Championship.

Adrover Gallego and Lacasse faced Oklahoma State’s Ange Oby Kajuru and Anastasiya Koma on Sunday. The duo kept the match close, but the Cowgirls came out on top, 7-5, 7-5. 

Nebraska is back in action at the Alabama Invite on Oct. 27 in Tuscaloosa, Ala.

HUSKERS POST RECORD TEAM SCORES AMONG VICTORY

Colorado Springs, Colo. - The No. 6 Nebraska Rifle team, in a record-setting Sunday, defeated the No. 7 Air Force Falcons 4,728-4,716.

The Huskers’ aggregate score of 4,728 is the best in program history, besting the 4,726 that NU shot against Alaska-Fairbanks last season. Nebraska’s team air rifle score was 2,384, another program record. The previous air rifle record was 2,381, also set against Alaska-Fairbanks last year.

“Their hard work in practice showed through,” Head Coach Mindy Miles said. “We can still pick up a few points across the board. We broke the aggregate team score and posted a strong air score. This is the strong appearance by the Huskers I was looking forward to this season. There will be more great scores to come.” 

Huskers swept the first three spots overall. Sophomore Emma Rhode earned a first-place finish with an aggregate score of 1,186, while sophomore Tori Watts(1,185) and senior Cecelia Ossi (1,183) completed the sweep, finishing second and third, respectively. Watts’ aggregate mark was also a career high.

In the air rifle, Rhode and Ossi tied for first place with scores of 597, matching the second-best score in Nebraska history. Watts and freshman Charlie Mick tied for fourth with 595s, along with Air Force’s Peninah D’Souza. Junior Mackenzie Strauch shot a career-best 593 to finish eighth.

Watts and Rhode took the top two spots in the smallbore. Watts earned a career-best score of 590 in the event to take first, while Rhode shot a 589 to grab second place. Ossi finished in fourth with a 586. 

NU returns to action on Saturday, Oct. 28, when the Huskers travel to Fort Worth, Texas, to take on TCU and West Virginia.

NEBRASKA WRAPS UP FALL WITH DOUBLEHEADER SWEEP

The Nebraska softball team completed its fall exhibition season with a doubleheader sweep of Colorado State on Sunday at Bowlin Stadium. The Huskers came from behind for a 4-3 walk-off victory in game one before jumping in front early and holding on for a 5-4 win in game two.

Jordy Bahl earned the win in both games, coming in for 2.0 innings of relief in game one and starting and pitching the first 4.0 innings of game two. Sarah Harness and Caitlin Olensky also saw action in the circle, combining to allow only one unearned run in 8.0 innings.

Offensively, Ava Bredwell went 3-for-7 with three RBIs in the doubleheader while Peyton Cody went 2-for-4 with a pair of doubles and Sydney Gray drove in two runs.

With its fall season complete, Nebraska will turn its attention to the 2024 season, which begins with four games at the Puerto Vallarta Challenge in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, Feb. 8-10.

Game 1: Nebraska 4, Colorado State 3
Nebraska scored twice in the sixth inning and once in the seventh to rally for a 4-3 walk-off win in game one of the doubleheader.

Colorado State jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first. A leadoff walk, a stolen base, an error and a two-out RBI single plated the game’s first run.

Nebraska stranded a runner at second base in both the first and second innings before Brooke Andrews tied the game with a one-out solo home run in the bottom of the third inning.

The Huskers threatened in the bottom of the fourth when Malia Thoms walked with two outs and Ashley Smetter followed with a base hit, but NU was unable to score.

Nebraska stranded two more runners in the fifth before Colorado State took a 3-1 lead on Hailey Smith’s two-run home run in the top of the sixth inning.

In the bottom of the inning, Nebraska loaded the bases with no outs on an error and consecutive singles from Caitlynn Neal and Bella Bacon. CSU responded with two straight outs before Ava Bredwell lined a clutch two-out, two-run single to right to tie the game at 3-3.

After the Rams were retired in order in the top of the seventh, Peyton Cody doubled off the wall in left on the first pitch of the bottom of the inning. On the very next pitch, Gray lined an RBI double off the wall in right to score pinch runner Alina Felix with the winning run.

Bredwell paced the Husker offense with a 2-for-4 day that included two RBIs. Andrews also had two hits – including her home run. In the circle, Jordy Bahl earned the win in relief, allowing two runs in two innings with three strikeouts. Sarah Harness started and was charged with just a single unearned run in 5.0 innings, and she struck out four batters.

Game 2: Nebraska 5, Colorado State 4
Nebraska scored five runs in the first two innings to take a 5-1 lead and then held on for a 5-4 victory to complete the doubleheader sweep and a perfect 4-0 weekend.

In the top of the first inning, two slow-rolling infield singles and an error loaded the bases for Colorado State with one out. Bahl responded with a strikeout before a bases-loaded walk brought in the game’s first run. A strikeout then prevented further damage.

Nebraska answered back in the bottom of the first. A one-out walk to Ava Bredwell was followed by a single from Bahl. Peyton Cody then lined an RBI single off the top of the wall in left center to tie the game. Sydney Gray gave Nebraska a 2-1 advantage with a sacrifice fly to left that scored Jordy Bahl.

The Huskers scored three more runs in the bottom of the second. The inning began with a Katelyn Caneda single followed by a walk to Bella Bacon. Samantha Bland then lined a 2-0 pitch to the gap in left center for an RBI single that stretched the Husker lead to 3-1. With runners on second and third and no outs, Colorado State made a pitching change and two batters later, Bredwell made it 4-1 with an RBI ground out that scored pinch runner Alina Felix. Bahl then lined a two-out RBI single to right to bring Bland home and push the lead to 5-1.

Colorado State got a run back in the top of the third on a single, a ground out that moved the runner to second base and an RBI single.

The Rams pulled to within 5-4 with a two-run fourth inning that featured two Husker errors.

Caitlin Olensky closed out the win with 3.0 innings of one-hit relief, and she struck out a pair of batters. Olensky earned the save in relief of Bahl, who allowed four runs (one earned) over the first 4.0 innings.

Offensively, Bahl, Caneda and Bland each finished 2-for-3 with Bahl and Bland adding one RBI each. 

HUSKERS TAKE HOME BRONZE IN OHIO

Struthers, Ohio - The No. 3 Nebraska bowling team finished third in its first tournament of the 2023-24 season at the Motiv Penguin Classic, going 8-5 and tallying a pinfall of 12,677 with a 195.0 average.

The Big Red maintained a third-place position throughout the weekend, entering the first baker five-game match against Niagara on Sunday morning. The Eagles’ slow start in game one (116) allowed NU to create a wide margin with a 193 score. Niagara answered back with a 203 and 178 in games two and three, and Nebraska closed respectively with a 190 and 170. NU added a few extra pins to its tally in game four (200-194) before a low 156 in game five. Despite scoring a 201 in their final game, the difference was too much for the Eagles to handle allowing the Big Red to claim the first win of the day (909-892).

The Huskers then faced No. 11 Duquesne, a repeat of last season’s match at the NCAA Regionals where the Huskers won 2-0. A demanding pair  would keep both teams below 200 with Duquesne scoring 176, 180 and 178 in games one through three. The Big Red maintained leverage through the first three games scoring 181, 196 and 185. A hot streak for the Dukes would give them the edge in games four (230) and five (191) with the Huskers only scoring a 169 and 213 allowing Duquesne a 963-944 victory.

Nebraska then moved to its highest ranked match so far this season with a top-three battle against familiar foe, No. 2 Arkansas state. Another repeat of last season's postseason where the Red Wolves edged the Huskers in a 2-0 mega match sweep at the NCAA Championships. An early lead gave the Huskers confidence shooting 215, 205 and 189 in games one through three. The Red Wolves trailed closely with a 185, 204 and 158, but the Huskers sealed the victory in game four (235-208), creating a deficit that ASU would be unable to overcome, giving a rematch win to Nebraska (1058-996).

A trio of Huskers earned top 25 placements for individual performances. Hartzler led the Huskers with runner-up honors, with a total pinfall of 1,060 and a 212.00 average. Martin also stood in the top five in fourth with a 1,046 pinfall and 209.20 average. Desiree Buchert rounded out the team in the top 25 at 19 with a 973 total and a 194.60 average.

NU returns to the lanes Nov. 3-5 as the Huskers travel to Houston, Texas, for the Track Kat Klash hosted by No. 8 Sam Houston.

Motiv Penguin Classic Final Standings:

No. 2 Arkansas State (10-3)
No. 6 Youngstown State (9-4)
No. 3 Nebraska (8-5)
No. 11 Duquesne (9-4
Valparaiso (9-4)
Niagara (7-6)
No. 19 Central Missouri (6-7)
Lewis (5-8)
No. 16 Mercyhurst (6-7)
No. 25 Morgan State (3-10)
Wright State (6-7)
Saint Francis (Pa.) (4-9)
Bryant (2-10)