Thursday Flakes: Nebraska Soccer, Booking Middle Seats and Traveling to the Middle East

Nebraska women’s soccer have worked really hard this season so I think this it’s important to talk about them for a bit since they are in a great position to qualify for their first NCAA Tournament since 2016. They solidified their place in the tournament with a 4-0 win against Ohio State in the Big Ten conference quarterfinal.

Their next match (Big Ten semifinal) is in Columbus, Ohio against a great #6 Michigan State who has only lost one match all year. The match is live this afternoon on BTN at 1pm Central.

Nebraska’s leading scorers are Gretna native Sarah Webber with ten goals (first-team all-conference) and England import Eleanor Dale with six goals (third-team all-conference). Other players to keep an eye on are Omaha native Raegan Raabe (third-team all-conference) and La Vista native Lauryn Anglim (freshman all-conference).

This Husker squad has a lot of young talent with all of them expected to return to the squad next season. Check out the match if you have some spare time this afternoon and continue to support them later this month in the NCAA tournament.

Let’s dive into a few questions. How many soccer matches have you attended? Would you take the middle seat if you meant you could win prizes? Have you ever traveled to the Middle East? Is eco-friendly accommodation important to you? Are you excited for college wrestling season? Feel free to one or all of these questions in the comments. Anyways…onto Flakes.

Nebraska Gains Sweep #17 Against a Tough Indiana | Volleyball | Corn Nation

The defensive block was pivotal for the Huskers in key moments. Kaitlyn Hord and Whitney Lauenstein had three blocks each. Another promising sign for future matches was the ability of the block to take coaching from the bench, adjust and earn a block. Two times after a timeout, Nebraska players returned to the court and earned a block. Match time adjustments, essential.

Huskers Face #6 Michigan State in Big Ten Semifinals | Soccer | Huskers.com

Fresh off a thrilling quarterfinal match, the Nebraska soccer team continues the Big Ten Tournament this week against #6 Michigan State at Lower.com Field in Columbus, Ohio. The fourth-seeded Huskers and top-seeded Spartans square off in the semifinal round on Thursday, starting at 1 p.m. (CT). The match will be televised on the Big Ten Network.

Husker Wrestlers Open Season At Home Against NDSU | Wrestling | Huskers.com

The #8 Nebraska wrestling team will open the 2022-23 season on Friday, Nov. 4 at the Devaney Center against North Dakota State. The dual will begin at 6:00 p.m. and will be streamed on B1G+

Huskers Gear Up for Big Ten Individual Championships | Men’s Tennis | Huskers.com

The Nebraska men’s tennis team heads north for the Big Ten Individual Championships held in Michigan, taking place Nov. 4 – Nov. 6. The Wolverines will host the three-day tournament that consists of both singles and doubles play for individual athletes within the Big Ten Conference. Five Huskers will make the trip to the tournament, fresh off the ITA Regional Championships that saw NU take home 15 total wins over the four-day competition.

Whipple: ‘There’s a Good Chance’ Purdy and Smothers Both Play, Purdy Starts | Football | Hail Varsity

Whipple admitted he wasn’t sure who the option would be beyond Smothers and Purdy because an injury among that group threw the depth chart into flux. He isn’t comfortable with another quarterback seeing the field beyond Purdy, Smothers and Thompson.

Padding the Stats: 2022 State Volleyball Primer | Volleyball | Hail Varsity

Nebraska is a volleyball state, and this week the NSAA will crown six state champions at the prep level as Lincoln plays host to the NSAA State Volleyball Championships Wednesday through Saturday. The first three days will take place at Pinnacle Bank Arena before shifting to the home of the Huskers for the finals on Saturday.

The 23 Best Places to Travel in 2023 | Travel | Forbes

Here are the 23 best places to travel in 2023, according to OvationNetwork’s list of the top leisure destinations, compiled exclusively for FORBES.

10 Offbeat Travel Destinations in North America | Travel | Lonely Planet

Traveling beyond the classic honeypot destinations is a terrific way to spread your money to corners of the globe where local people desperately need it. Seek out the places where tourists are few and far between and your visit has the potential to make a real difference to people’s lives, creating incomes and opportunities that can empower entire communities.

These Are the Trending Destinations With American Travelers for 2023 | Travel | Conde Nast Traveler

There are ten places that are quickly growing in popularity with American tourists for vacations in 2023, according to a report from American Express Travel based on recent travel bookings by American Express cardmembers. Each of the ten locations have seen significant increases in booking popularity with U.S. travelers between 2019 and 2022.

Trip-Stacking and Other Holiday Travel Trends Revealed in New Study | Travel | Travel Pulse

The data revealed that nearly three in five (57 percent) travelers plan to “trip-stack” during their winter travels this year, tacking on another destination or additional trip, either immediately before or after their principal holiday travel plans.

Delta Air Lines Offers Inclusive Experience for Autistic Travelers | Travel | Travel Pulse

One way the carrier is helping people with autism is by providing familiarization tours at airports in Atlanta and Minneapolis. Families have the opportunity to practice in a hands-on environment the process of traveling through an airport in preparation to travel.

Why It’s a Great Time to Be a Vegan Traveler | Travel | Lonely Planet

A strict vegan diet is no longer the major obstacle to travel it once was, as more and more tour companies are catering to vegan travelers with environmentally friendly and ethical itineraries.

Biggest Myths About Traveling to the Middle East | Travel | Travel Pulse

I’ve been living in Oman for close to a decade as an English Lecturer by day and a travel writer by night. I’ve had the opportunity to travel extensively throughout the Gulf Coast Countries during this time and can appreciate not only the beauty and culture while venturing to places such as the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, but also the hospitality of the locals.

Passengers Who Book the Middle Seat on This Airline Can Enter a Lottery for Prizes and Getaways | Travel | Travel + Leisure

Australian travelers who pick (or get stuck with) the middle seat on Virgin Australia flights will have the chance to win prizes each week until April 23, 2023, according to the airline. The prizes, which total more than $146,000 in value, include free cruises on Virgin Voyages, a helicopter pub crawl, a Cairns adventure package complete with bungee jumping and giant swinging, and automatic loyalty status with the airline and one million points.

The Airline Booking Trick That Savvy Fliers Use to Find Cheaper Fares and Nicer Seats | Travel | Conde Nast Traveler

Fifth freedom flights carry passengers between two countries that are different from the home base of the airline operating the flight. Deals abound on these flight sectors due to the competition between airlines, since U.S. and European airlines may also fly similar routes.

Is Your Hotel Really Eco-Friendly? Here’s How to Find Out. | Travel | Conde Nast Traveler

Our sustainability editor Juliet Kinsman has put together the ultimate cheat sheet to judge hotels and travel operators—and tell if they’re really green. We’re sharing these considerations so that you, too, can assess if a hotel or travel business is truly eco-friendly, so we are all less susceptible to greenwashing and can start traveling better.

The Mysterious Viking Runes Found in a Landlocked US State | Travel | BBC

Did Vikings find their way to a remote part of Oklahoma? Some in a small community believe so, thanks to controversial runic carvings found in the area.

Tempelhof: The Single That Embodies Berlin | Travel | BBC

On any given day, you might see Syrian asylum seekers playing football outside a Nazi-era terminal, bikers cycling under the shadow of an abandoned 75m radar station and families barbecuing next to grounded Cold War-era airplanes.

The Indian City With Gold In Its Sewage Lines | Travel | BBC

Firozabad is India’s glass capital, most famous for producing traditional glass bangles. But the city is the source of another treasure – one that’s hidden and extremely hard-won.