NU Hits The Road To Finish Regular Season Play

Nebraska at Illinois
Thursday, Oct. 21 • 7 p.m. (CT)

Demirjian Park

Champaign, Ill.

» Video Stream: Big Ten Plus

» Live Stats: fightingillini.com

» Twitter Updates: @NebraskaSoccer

Nebraska at Minnesota

Sunday, Oct. 24 • 1 p.m. (CT)

Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium

Minneapolis, Minn.

» Video Stream: Big Ten Plus

» Live Stats: gophersports.com

» Twitter Updates: @NebraskaSoccer

The Nebraska soccer team (5-9-2, 1-5-2 Big Ten) aims to continue its momentum from last weekend when the Huskers travel to Illinois and Minnesota this week to wrap up regular season play.

The Huskers visit the Fighting Illini (5-9-1, 1-6-1 Big Ten) on Thursday, starting at 7 p.m. (CT), at Demirjian Park in Champaign, Ill., and battle the Golden Gophers (8-4-3, 4-4-0 Big Ten) on Sunday, starting at 1 p.m. (CT), at Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium in Minneapolis, Minn.

Both matches will be streamed live on Big Ten Plus (subscription required to watch).

Last Time Out

The Huskers earned three points in the conference standings with a win against Wisconsin at home last weekend. Sophomore Eleanor Dale scored the game winning goal with less than ten minutes left in regulation.

Kicking Off

• The Huskers sit in twelfth in the Big Ten standings with five points (1-5-2 record) ahead of Illinois and Maryland. The top eight teams at the end of the regular season qualify for the Big Ten Tournament.

• Freshman Sarah Weber recorded two goals in Nebraska’s matchup against Iowa. She now has four goals on the year and ranks seventh in the Big Ten standings in total shots and third in shots on goal.

• Dale recorded her seventh goal of the season, a new team-high, on Sunday against Wisconsin. She currently is tied for fourth in the Big Ten standings for total goals and ninth in game-winning goals.

• Freshman Abbey Schwarz continues to dish out assists as she leads the team with seven, putting her third in the conference standings.

• Seven of NU’s 11 freshman have seen the pitch so far this year. The Huskers started Schwarz, Weber and Jordan Zade against Iowa and Wisconsin.

Scouting the Illinois Fighting Illini

• Illinois is 5-9-1 this season and holds a 1-6-1 record in conference play. The Fighting Illini are coming off two-straight losses to Minnesota and Iowa.

• The Fighting Illini host Rutgers on Sunday afternoon after facing Nebraska on Thursday.

• In this week’s RPI, Illinois is ranked 98th.

• Last season, Illinois went 6-5-1 overall and qualified for the Big Ten tournament, where the Fighting Illini lost to Iowa in the first round.

• Illinois leads the all-time series between the two teams, 3-8-0. The Huskers last defeated the Fighting Illini in 2019 at Hibner Stadium, 1-0.  

• Head Coach Janet Rayfield is 208-149-35 in her 20th season at Illinois. Rayfield is assisted by Jeff Freeman, Lisa Lubke and Nichole Tiggs.

• Players to Watch

    » #10 Hope Breslin (Senior M): Team-high seven goals rank fifth individually in the Big Ten

    » #20 Makena Silber (Senior F): Five goals and two assists this season

    » #1 Julia Cili (Sophomore GK): 36 saves in nine games played

Scouting the Minnesota Golden Gophers

• Minnesota is 8-4-3 this season and is tied for fifth in the Big Ten standings with a 4-4-0 conference record.

• In this week’s RPI, the Golden Gophers are ranked 70th.

• Last season, Minnesota went 5-4-3 overall and tied for seventh in the Big Ten with a 5-3-3 mark in conference play. The Gophers dropped their opening matchup to Iowa in the Big Ten Tournament.

• The all-time series between Nebraska and Minnesota is tied at 7-7-2, dating back to the first meeting between the schools in 1996. The two teams have tied in their last two matchups.

• Head Coach Erin Chastain is in her first season at Minnesota. She previously spent 14 seasons as head coach at DePaul and recorded a 78-44-26 record over her last eight seasons. Chastain is assisted by Maya Hayes, Allie Wisner and Tarah Nupson.

• Players to Watch

    » #52 Izzy Brown (Junior F): Team-high six goals this season

    » #9 Sophia Boman (Sophomore M): Four goals and four assists on the year

    » #32 Megan Plaschko (Junior GK): Has recorded 54 saves in 15 games played

Huskers Celebrating 28th Season in 2021

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

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

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