The last time Nebraska soccer advanced to the third round of the NCAA Tournament was back in 2004. The wait ended for the Huskers on Friday night as they defeated Tennessee in a 2-1 nailbiter to head to the Sweet Sixteen.
Nebraska finished with just 12 shots in the match, with five on goal. The Lady Volunteers meanwhile delivered eight shots with two on goal. Eleanor Dale concluded the match as the leading shooting, firing four shots with one on goal. However, Dale didn’t put any of her images in the back of the net.
Sarah Weber and Ella Guyott earned the honors of scoring for the Huskers in win, allowing them to reach the third round of the NCAA Tournament for the first time in almost two decades. Weber struck first for Nebraska, landing her goal in the final 30 seconds of the first half, giving her team a 1-0 lead.
Tennessee responded almost immediately in the second half, tying the match 1-1 just three minutes in. It came down to the final minutes of play, as neither team could find a way to break the tie. Then, Jordan Zade took a shot, sending the ball flying towards the net from afar. The shot landed just in front of the left post of the goal, where Guyott stood to put the shot in the back of the net.
With the win, Nebraska advances and will face UC Irvine on Sunday afternoon. The match is set for 1 p.m. and can be viewed on ESPN+.
SWEET, SWEET, SWEET VICTORY. #GBR pic.twitter.com/r9K5MUsVZQ
— Nebraska Soccer (@HuskerSoccer) November 18, 2023