Nebraska Defeats Oral Roberts In Opening Round Play Of NCAA Soccer Tournament
Nov. 12, 2004
NCAA Division I Soccer Championships
Nebraska 3, Oral Roberts 0
Jayhawk Soccer Complex – Lawrence, Kan.
Game RecapNebraska junior forward Nikki Baker tied a career-high with three goals in the Huskers’ 3-0 win against Oral Roberts in the first round of the 2004 NCAA Division I Soccer Championships at the Jayhawk Soccer Complex in Lawrence, Kan. The win was Nebraska’s ninth straight first round victory in the NCAA soccer championships. For Oral Roberts the contest was the first NCAA championships appearance in the school’s 12-year history. The Golden Eagles – winners of the 2004 Mid-Continent Conference regular season and tournament titles – ended their season 14-6-1. Their 14 wins in 2004 were the most since the 2000 Oral Roberts team also went 14-6-1. Nebraska, 13-8, entered the contest having been shut out in its previous three contests. Baker, from Bixby, Okla., netted two first-half goals with the first 5:44 into the contest on a break away. The forward added another from 20 yards out at the 21:47 mark. Her hat trick goal came on a penalty kick at the 65:51 mark of the game. Nebraska out shot Oral Roberts 9-4 for the game and posted its seventh shut out of the season. Additionally Baker’s three goals also tied a school record for goals in an NCAA contest. The win marked the ninth straight year Nebraska has posted 13 or more wins for a season. The Huskers will now face the winner of the Kansas-Creighton contest, which started at 2 p.m. (Central).
Quotes following the game
Nebraska
Head Coach John Walker
On the game:
“I was very happy with our performance. I think we played better in the second half than in the first half. I thought Oral Roberts did a good job in the first half. In the second half, I thought we were able to physically impose ourselves a little bit and wear them down. Our individual defending was excellent all the way across the field and we were able to physically take control of the game. Having a two goal lead gives you that kind of comfort as well. I was very happy with our overall performance. We had good goalkeeping, defending and attacking. It was a great team effort and I was very proud of our team today.”
On the possible upcoming opponent:
“They are both good, but in different ways. I think Oral Roberts is a team that brings a lot of energy every time we play them. With Kansas, you are talking about a team that has proven itself all year, nationally and in our conference. They will both make for good games and at this stage you just wait to see what happens.”
Junior Forward Nikki Baker
On the game:
“It (scoring three goals) felt really good today. I was extra motivated today because I saw how hard my whole team was working. We were working, communicating and we all had the belief that we could win.”
Senior Midfielder Brooke Bredenberg
On Nikki Baker scoring three goals:
“Nikki is always strong up top and I am always looking for her with passes. I always know that Nikki is going to get a shot on the goal. I just tried to get some balls in on the goal and give the team some opportunities to score.”
Oral Roberts
Head Coach Kyle Cussen
On the game:
“It was an incredible season for us. We set goals before each season and getting here was our number one goal. Our goal for next season, now that we have gotten to the tournament, is to win our first round game. It was a little disappointing, but I felt like we played well today. Playing Nebraska was a lot to ask of our first-year tournament team. I felt like our girls came in with a lot of confidence and played really well. Our seniors deserve a lot of credit for getting Oral Roberts soccer to where we are today. They have been through a lot and I want to say ‘thank you’ publicly to each one of them for all they have done.”
On Nebraska’s Nikki Baker:
“I asked her to take it easy on us. Nikki is a great player. I felt like we played great defensively but Nikki scored some great goals on us. I don’t think she got any excellent looks at the goal, she created a lot on her own. The goals she scored were on phenomenal shots. I guess she picked a good day for her and a bad day for us to have a very good game.”
Senior Midfielder Randi Christenson
On the game:
“We’re a really young team and we asked a lot of our underclassmen and they provided that all season and in today’s game. I definitely do not think this tournament has seen the last of Oral Roberts.”
