Weber Records Brace in 3-2 Loss at Rutgers

Piscataway, N.J. - Sarah Weber tallied a first-half brace, but it was not enough as the Nebraska soccer team dropped a 3-2 match at Rutgers on Thursday evening. 

Despite outshooting the Scarlet Knights, the Huskers were outscored 2-0 in the second half and dropped to 4-8-1 (1-5-1 Big Ten) with the loss, while Rutgers improved to 9-1-3 (5-0-2 Big Ten). 

The Scarlet Knights found the back of the net first, as Ashley Baran scored, but their lead didn’t last long. Prior to Thursday’s match, the Rutgers defense had only allowed two goals in conference play, but the Huskers attacked early and tallied two finishes of their own in the first 45 minutes. 

In the sixth minute, Weber dribbled through the Rutgers defense and beat two defenders as she shot the ball past the diving Scarlet Knight goalie for the score. Then less than five minutes later, the Huskers forced a turnover and Weber got the ball to the top of the 18-yard box and again beat the defense and sent the ball into the bottom left corner of the net. 

Weber’s brace marked her 40th and 41st career finishes, as she is now 10th in career multi-goal games in Husker history and her team-high nine goals on the season is fourth in the Big Ten. 

As a team, NU held the advantage in shots (8-3), shots on goal (4-3) and corners (2-1) and took a 2-1 lead into the locker room. 

Nebraska opened the second half with a pair of shots, but Rutgers’ Baran scored two more goals, in the 51st and 54th minutes, for her first career hat trick and the 3-2 lead. The Huskers had additional opportunities to score the equalizer, recording three shots in the 85th minute, but it was not enough as Rutgers held on for the 3-2 victory.

Overall, the Huskers outshot the Scarlet Knights 15-9, while also leading in corners (5-1) and saves (3-2). Sami Hauk got the start in goal and played the entire 90 minutes, along with Ella Guyott, Reese Borer, Lauryn Anglim and Weber. 

Up next, the Huskers stay east and meet Maryland on Sunday. Action is set for 12 p.m. (CT) and will be streamed on Big Ten Plus.