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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 2, 1996)
. . ' * .1 UP scores in the 57th minute to advance to the Final Four. ByAbby Haight The Oregonian PORTLAND, Ore. — Nebraska’s perfect soccer season ended Sunday, but not without a fight. Kim Stiles’ 6-yard goal in the 57th minute lifted Portland to a 1-0 victory over the Comhuskers before a crowd of 3,960 at Merlo Field in Portland in the NCAA Tournament quarterfinals. Portland (19-0-2) advanced to play Notre Dame in a national semifinal Friday in Santa Clara, Calif. Nath Carolina and Santa Clara will meet in the other semifinal. Meanwhile, Nebraska (23-1) can only go home, knowing that it nearly shocked die col lege soccer community, falling one game short of the Final Four in its first-ever postseason ap pearance. Sunday, it was Portland’s great skill that carried the Pilots past pre viously unbeaten Nebraska. Nebraska’s offense went on the attack early while the Pilots—who lost to Notre Dame in the national cham pionship game last season — struggled to find a rhythm. At (me point, a mis cue by Portland’s defenders Walker allowed the ball to roll unchallenged toward the UP goal, but Nebraska wasn’t quick enough to take advantage of the mistake. The fifth-ranked Huskers pushed Portland back with six shots in the first half, most com ing in the opening 20 minutes. “We were in it several times,” NU Coach John Walker said. “We usually do a much better job of finishing.” The Pilots awoke midway through the first half, taking control of the ball and looking to midfielders Justi Baumgardt and Holly Pierce, both of whom took two shots in the first 45 min utes. Nebraska had its best chance on a booming shot by Sharolta Nonen that ricocheted off the crossbar. But UP’s defenders, led by sweeper Melissa Ribaudo, swarmed the ball and rarely let a Husker breach the penalty box. Portland took control in the second half, nearly scoring in the 52nd minute when Thra Koleski was stopped by Stephanie Vacek after Husker goalkeeper Becky Hombacher had been drawn away from the goal. NU wasn’t as lucky moments later. Pilot forward Regina Holan dribbled around a defender and crossed the ball to Stiles, who was caught in a crowd of Huskers about six yards from the goal. Stiles nudged the ball toward the goal and rolled it into the net for her second goal W III I1. I of the season. ' “I.think there was a definite letdown on our side,” Nebraska midfielder Kari Uppinghouse said. “Caning back from the goal was really hard for us.” Portland finished with 13 shots to NU’s eight. Hombacher and UP’s Cheryl Loveless each had three saves and Loveless recorded her 13 th shut out of the season. Nebraska, which defeated established pro grams in Minnesota and Duke to reach the NCAA Tournament’s third round, returns all but one player next season. * ! “Nobody expected us to get this far,” said Kim Ratliff, NU’s only senior and the first in the history of the three-year program. “We have been able to prove that we are a good program, that we are on the rise.” bamer, Lue relax, lead NUtowin By David Wilson StaffReporter With the help of the 11,007 fans that filled the Bob Devaney Sports Center Saturday night, the Nebraska basket ball team rolled to a 75-67 victory over Oregon State. The Cornhuskers (2 1), who never led by more than four in the first half, took control of the game when Tyronn Lue hit a 3-point shot with 15 minutes, 33 seconds remaining to give the Huskers a 46-40 lead. After the basket, Lue was knocked down by Oregon State guard John Blair Bickerstaff, who became tangled up with Lue on the floor. The scuffle, Lue said, ignited the crowd and sparked a 7-0 Husker run. n got uie cruwu guing, uuc saiu. “That’s the loudest I’ve heard it since I’ve been here. I’m glad it happened.” Lue’s 3-pointer was followed by a Venson Hamilton blocked shot and an aliey-oop pass from Bernard Gamer to Cookie Belcher — which kept the crowd rolling. The Beavers closed the Huskers’ lead to five points, but never came closer as Nebraska cruised to an eight point victory. Garner, who scored a career-high 22 points in the Husker’s 83-66 vic tory over Weber State Tuesday, led NU for the second-straight game with 18 points. The supportive crowd, Garner said, helped Nebraska gain momentum against Oregon State (1-1), which was led by freshman point guard Carson Cunningham’s 26 points. “It’s very important to get your crowd behind you to pump you up,” Gamer said. “We needed that. That . kind ofgot us fired up. Last year, I was kind of scared to come out and play here. Now, I feel like I’m at home. “Everything is going to be OK.” Lue, who scored 17 points, also said he felt uncomfortable playing at the Devaney Center last season. But the atmosphere this season, he said, is dif ferent. “Last year, for some reason,” Lue ■ ' * said, “I dreaded playing at home. I never played well. The first four or five Matt Miller/DN TYRONN LUE drives to the basket Saturday night during Nebraska’s 75-67 win over Oregon State. Lue scored 17 points and recorded five assists in 31 minutes. times, I was scared to play at home. But now, it’s a great place to play.” Forward Larry Florence, ^rho started Nebraska’s first two games, sat out Saturday with tendinitis in his knee and was replaced in the lineup by sophomore Alvin Mitchell. Belcher moved from shooting guard to small forward, allowing the 6-foot, 160-pound Mitchell to play guard. Mitchell scored two points and dished out two assists in 29 minutes. NU Coach Danny Nee said Florence’sknee could be a reoccurring problem throughout the season. But Nee said a major concern Saturday was the Huskers’ 19 turnovers. That prob lem, he said, is correctable. “I know we can correct (the turn overs),” Nee said. “I felt that we made some bad decisions. Some of the turn overs were just careless.” Senior Mikki Moore, who scored 12 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, committed a team-high six turnovers. Despite the turnovers, Gamer said, the Huskers have improved since the beginning of the season. “I think we played a very complete game,” Gamer said. “We just need to be patient on offense—more cuts and more passes. “We’re all feeling very comfortable playing together. Everything is coning together very smooth.” The Huskers will continue their homestand Tuesday night against Texas-San Antonio at 7:05 at the Devaney Center. Nebraska, which has won by 17 points, eight points and lost by two in overtime this season, will be well pre pared when it opens conference play because of the close games, Nee said. “This is three good games for us,” Nee said. “I’m just pleased that we can {jndavgaytowin.” . -• miskers earn fourth seed after 2 wins UTandA&M wins propel NU to the top spot in East Region. By Trevor Parks Senior Reporter A successful late-season push has landed the Nebraska volleyball team with a home-court advantage on its quest to the defend the national title. The Comhuskers, who finished the regular season 27-3 after winning at Texas and Texas A&M over the week end, were selected as the NCAA Tournament's fourth seed overall and the East Region’s top seed Sunday. As the top seed, Nebraska can play host to three matches before the Final Four, Dec. 19 through 21 in Cleveland. NU received a first-round bye and will face the winner of Wednesday night’s Rhode Island-Arkansas match, which will be played in Fayetteville, Ark. Nebraska Coach Terry Pettit said he knows little about the Rams or the Lady Razorbacks. Arkansas (25-10), which won the Western Division title of the Southeast ern Conference, is making its first ap ISiiMlwkw:; I W&: pearance in the NCAA Tournament. Rhode Island (31 -6) is the Atlantic 10 Conference champion. If the Huskers win Saturday night at the NU Coliseum, they will play host to an NCAA regional for the third straight year and seventh time in school history. Other teams receiving first-round byes in the East Region are Maryland (26-4), George Mason (26-2) and fifth seeded Penn State (29-2). Nebraska defeated the Colonials and the Lady Lions in last season’s NCAA Tourna ment. “The teams in the region are for midable,” Pettit said. “Penn State, I believe, is one of the top one or two teams in the country, and Maryland is a great team. But playing in the coli seum, and with the type of poise that this team has shown over the last half of the season, it’s a great opportunity.” Please see NCAA on 11 DeForge directs NU to a pair of blowouts ByMikeKluck Senior Reporter Without much competition from its opponents this weekend at the Bob Devaney Sports Center, the Nebraska women’s basketball team created its own challenges. The Comhuskers (4-0) defeated Bucknell 88-39 on Friday anid SL Louis 93-54 on Saturday to win their second straight CableVision Classic champi onship. It was the sixth time in seven outings that the Huskers have won the tournament. **We did what we needed to do*” Nebraska Coach Angela Beck said. “I was pleased with the outcome. I was pleased with the performance. We had _ certain goals going into this game, and we expected to win. “That really wasn’t a trig-factor in our mind. It was more how we did it and what type of attitude we possessed, and what type of team this 1996 team is going to be.” atleasUO **“Huskers ;
