The Nebraska women's soccer team opened their season last Friday with a dramatic 4-3 loss at Northwestern.
The high-scoring shootout featured seven second-half goals, the last being Wildcat Jenny Dunn's rebound and game-winning finish in the 87th minute.
"Heartbreaking is the only word to describe it," said junior defender Anna Caniglia.
It was the Huskers' first season-opening loss since the team dropped a 1-0 match to then-No. 1 North Carolina in 2004.
The first half ended in a scoreless tie, but NU seemed to have the edge after outshooting the Wildcats 8-6 at halftime. But then things got a little more exciting in the last 45 minutes.
Five minutes into the second half, Northwestern's Laura Janowitsch ripped a free kick from nearly midfield that got a home turf bounce and somehow found its way over sophomore goalkeeper Jessica Mills' head.
But the Huskers only had to wait about a minute to score the equalizer when Caniglia scored on a free kick from just outside the 18-yard box in the 51st minute.
The tie lasted until the 55th minute before Northwestern's Amanda Hoffman scored to give the Wildcats a 2-1 advantage. Just four minutes later, the Wildcats led 3-1 after Emily Langston scored the team's third goal in nine minutes.
Then followed something that had never been done in Husker women's soccer history.
Sophomore forward Michaella Fulmer came off the bench and scored on a rocket from 30 yards out in the 64th minute, cutting the deficit to 3-2. She scored again just six minutes later to tie the game at three.
Before Friday night, NU had never come back from a second-half, two-goal deficit on the road.
"It was important for me to just get on the board and have a good starting game to give me some kind of confidence for the rest of the season," Fulmer said.
"It helped to get some goals in to prove we can score up top and prove we have some really good forwards."
In just twenty minutes of play, six goals were scored.
"The teams were just getting fatigued and both offenses were breaking down the defense in the second half," Caniglia said. "Plus, it was windy and on turf, so the game moved very fast."
The game slowed down until the last few minutes, when Northwestern succeeded on one final attack. The Wildcats' Jeannette Lorme tore through a shot that Mills had deflected back into the box. Dunn was ready for the rebound and powered it into the back of the net, providing the closing goal in a high-scoring thriller.
The Huskers hope to rebound next Friday night with their home opener against UC-Riverside at 5:30 p.m.
"I think the game was really early in the season and doesn't look like a good performance," Caniglia said. "We have lots of potential and are one step from becoming a great team."
johnschreier@dailynebraskan.com
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