Here is Nebraska soccer’s schedule for the 2022 season.
LINCOLN– Nebraska soccer will face Ohio State in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Tournament on Sunday in the Huskers first appearance since 2018
Nebraska (7-6-5) tied Ohio State (10-4-3) Oct. 8. Currently, the Huskers are tied for fourth in the Big Ten with OSU and Penn State (5-3-2 Big Ten), a significant improvement from their 11th place finish last season.
The team’s resilience and mentality this season has contributed to the team’s success this season, according to head coach John Walker. The team is fairly young, consisting of only one senior, which is a challenge when facing more experienced teams. Still, Walker said the team has done well in overcoming the age factor.
“This group has an authenticity to them, a real willingness to compete and improve,” Walker said. “Perhaps not having experience of losing games gives them an innocence that is refreshing–they just want to play.”
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Walker adds that the season’s difficult non-conference schedule, against talented teams like USC, Saint Louis, and Portland, also helped the team be ready for competitive conference play.
“It hardens the players,” Walker said. “Playing at the highest level of competition is what every student-athlete wants to do – test themselves and see where they stand among the best in the country.”
Besides preparing to play at a high level, an improved mentality has also helped get the Huskers to where it is in the Big Ten standings.
“It starts with the team atmosphere,” Nebraska goalkeeper Sami Hauk said. “Everyone is driven to become a better team and there is a bond between each of us on and off the field.”
Walker credits the leadership group of five team captains for creating a culture that focuses on improvement and making sure the competitive bar continues to get set higher so that the team reaches its maximum potential.
“They’ve done a nice job serving their teammates,” Walker said. “They understand that their job isn’t just to instruct others, it’s about listening to their teammates, inspiring their teammates, and setting an example.”
Walker adds that the captains make sure everyone enjoys themselves as well by bringing fun to practice and competitions. In fact, an assistant coach phrased the team’s approach to training as “normalized enthusiasm,” meaning no matter what they are asked to do, even if it is the most mundane drill, they find a way to be excited about it.
“When you have that kind of energy, it’s contagious,” Walker said. “That’s how they train and it carries over into the game.”
Ranked 25th in the coaches poll, Ohio State will be no easy team to beat with an RPI rating of 21st in the country. It is a good passing team with the most explosive attacking team in the conference, according to Walker.
Still, Walker is confident in the Huskers and sees their mentality to embrace the competition as their biggest strength. The team is also looking forward to playing in front of a home crowd, an advantage Walker expects will help Nebraska.
Nebraska is looking to win the tournament, but for now they are focusing on taking it one game at a time. Despite facing some of the best in the country, they are not afraid to set high goals.
“I think it’s healthy to say our goal is to win it,” Walker said. “Setting the bar high is what you should do in these situations.”
Going into the postseason, Nebraska will have five players who were given Big Ten honors on Thursday, starting with Sarah Weber, who was given All-Big Ten First Team honors on Thursday. Weber has been a key component to Nebraska’s offense and leads the conference with 73 shots this season. The Gretna native started all 18 games and recorded nine goals and four assists.
Other honors include juniors Reagan Raabe and Eleanor Dale who earned third-team All-Big Ten honors; freshman Lauryn Anglim who earned All-Big Ten Freshman Team honors; and Gwen Lane who earned the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award for Nebraska.
Hauk and the rest of the team are excited to see what they can do this weekend, but are most proud of how far they’ve come.
“We’ve grown so much since the beginning of the season,” Hauk said. “There’s been a lot of development that has made us stronger. Together, we are almost unstoppable.”
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