Northwestern Blanks Nebraska for Third Straight Win

10/21/2017 8:14:00 PM | Women's Soccer

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EVANSTON, Ill. -- First year forward Kayleigh Stahlschmidt scored the first goal of her collegiate career, and senior goalkeeper Lauren Clem kept her 45th career clean sheet as Northwestern ground out a 1-0 victory over Nebraska Saturday night at Martin Stadium.

Northwestern (9-6-2, 6-3-1) recorded its third consecutive victory and now owns the longest active winning streak in the Big Ten. Nebraska (9-4-5, 3-2-5 B1G) had been undefeated in its last seven games and were held scoreless for just the fourth time this season.

The Wildcats moved into a third-place tie with Minnesota in the Big Ten standings with 19 points each. The 'Cats hold the tiebreaker by virtue of their 2-0 defeat over the Gophers on Oct. 12 in Evanston.

NU also notched its first victory (not including penalty kicks) over Nebraska since 2008, when it defeated the Huskers, 4-3, in the season opener. Northwestern beat the Huskers on penalty kicks in last year's Big Ten tournament quarterfinals.

Clem's 45th career shutout moves her into a tie for fifth on the NCAA all-time leaderboard with Erin Kane (Milwaukee; 2005-08) and Kelsey Wys (Florida State; 2010-13). Clem and the Wildcats have played 291 minutes since they last conceded a goal.

It was a tense opening with few chances at either end. First year Madi Kennel looked to spark a chance with a pair of 30 yard cracks in the third and seventh minutes, eliciting saves. Junior Kayla Sharples sprung senior Maria Fayeulle past the Nebraska line in the 12th minute, with a blocked cross earning a corner. Northwestern's ball into the box was just out of the Nebraska keeper's reach, but none of the Wildcats could get a meaningful touch on it.

The Wildcat defense corralled all Nebraska efforts, limiting them to just a pair of first half shots. Northwestern hasn't conceded a goal at home in Big Ten play since Oct. 9, 2016, in a 2-1 win against Michigan.

Northwestern and Nebraska played a pair of goalless draws last year, including Northwestern's penalty kick victory over the Cornhuskers in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Tournament. The way the defenses dominated the first half and the start of the second, it looked like it might be a third straight game without a goal. First year Regan Steigleder had the first real chance of the second half, ripping a 35-yard rising shot over the bar in the 55th minute.

There had yet to be a shot from inside the box before senior Kassidy Gorman lofted a cross into the box in the 65th minute. The ball hung up in the wind, allowing Sharples to out-jump the Nebraska keeper, and head down for Stahlschmidt to tap into the empty net.

Northwestern almost put the nail in the coffin in the 85th minute, when Brenna Lovera rattled the crossbar with a shot. But her effort ricocheted straight down and popped out of the goal for a Nebraska save. The final minutes eventually ticked off the clock and Northwestern sealed its 1-0 victory over Nebraska.

Chicago's Big Ten Team plays its final game of the season on Wednesday, Oct. 25, as it travels to East Lansing, Mich. to face Michigan State. The Wildcats will play in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals on Oct. 29, and are currently slated to host the match at Martin Stadium at a time to be determined.