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Natasha Karniski scored the game-winning goal in No. 13 Illinois' 1-0 win over No. 17 Nebraska.
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Sept. 2, 2005
Champaign, Ill. - What a difference a week makes. After going scoreless in 200 minutes in two matches in Milwaukee last weekend, No. 13 Illinois looked like a completely different team in a 1-0 win against No. 17 Nebraska in front of 854 vocal fans Friday night.
Natasha Karniski (Iowa City, Iowa) netted a cross from Ella Masar (Urbana, Ill.) in the 61st minute for the game-winning goal, Illinois' first of the season. Masar served the ball to the left corner of the goal mouth and Karniski went high off the inside of the crossbar to push the Illini past the Huskers and run Illinois' unbeaten streak at Illinois Soccer Stadium to 12 consecutive games dating back to the 2003 season.
"I was just running at the goal," Karniski said. "Ella made a great serve and I was just in the right spot."
Said Illini coach Janet Rayfield: "We talk about doing all the little things, and framing the goal is one of them. I heard Natasha say that she was just running at the goal, but she was running at the goal because she's been screamed at over and over to do that when someone else is shooting."
Goalkeeper Lindsey Carstens (West Chester, Ohio) posted her second shutout of the season, stuffing three shots. The Illini (1-1-1) defense stifled the Cornhuskers (2-1-0), allowing only three shots in the first half and eight for the game. Illinois outshot Nebraska 18-8 and outcornered the Huskers 6-3.
Illinois returns to action against Western Illinois (0-0-2) Sunday at 2 p.m. at Illinois Soccer Stadium. Fans are invited to bring their ticket stub from Saturday's football game to receive free admission. The Marching Illini Drumline will perform at halftime, and fans are welcome to meet the team following the game in the Hall of Fame room at the Bielfeldt Athletic Building.
"This game should give us a lot of confidence," Rayfield said. "We had a lot of players play well tonight, including some freshmen and sophomores. We've got a team now who, from freshmen to seniors, really believe in what they're doing."
Game Summary • #17 Nebraska at #13 Illinois • 9/2/05 • Champaign, Ill.
Team - 1st - 2nd - Final
#17 Nebraska - 0 - 0 - 0
#13 Illinois - 1 - 0 - 1
Scoring Summary:
60:37- ILL - Natasha Karniski (1) - (Ella Masar) - shot from two yards bounced off crossbar and into goal
Shots: NEB 8, ILL 18; SOG: NEB 3, ILL 6; Saves: NEB 5 (Klages 3, 1 GA; Team 2), ILL 3 (Carstens 3); Corner Kicks: NEB 3, ILL 6
