Preview: Baylor soccer welcomes former Big 12 foe Nebraska to Waco
After splitting their pair of games up north, the Baylor soccer team returned to Waco and is looking to start this year’s slate of home games with a win against another Big Ten opponent: Nebraska.
Coach Paul Jobson met with the media before practice Wednesday to recap the trip and preview the two-game home-stand.
Jobson made no excuses for the Bears’ sluggish start in Minnesota, but he was confident that they learned their lesson.
Now it is time to look ahead to their next opponent, the Nebraska Cornhuskers.
The Huskers were picked to finish 12th in the Big Ten in their conference preseason poll. Minnesota was picked to finish 10th so it would be foolish to underestimate anyone at this point. This Baylor team certainly doesn’t.
They will have to deal with a team that looks pretty similar to themselves though. Nebraska has a good balance of experience and youth like the bears. They also like to play on the front foot, netting eight goals in their two games to this point, not to mention their 13 goals through two exhibitions.
Their attack is headed by a couple of young guns in sophomore Eleanor Dale (#21) and Freshman Abbey Schwarz (#6). They run hard and clearly know how to finish.
Dale is the clear number one threat, being named to the Big Ten preseason players-to-watch list. She also netted a brace (2 goals) against Missouri in their last match.
On the other end of the pitch, the Baylor will be facing the Big Ten’s reigning keeper of the week. Sami Hauk (#91) returns to her home state looking to extend her shutout streak to 3.
With Baylor’s Jennifer Wandt winning the Big 12’s version of this award, you might think we are in for a low-scoring affair Thursday night at the Lou.
However, Baylor is coming off of a 4-0 victory over North Dakota State, a team that the Huskers destroyed 8-0 in a scrimmage. Both teams have dangerous attacks and really want to score. We could be in for a frantic match.
That is why my key to the game is the midfield matchup. The team that can control the middle of the field better open up the game for their forwards more and limit stress on their defenders. This is especially true when the game is more open and end-to-end.
Baylor’s trio of Maddie Algya (#10), Ally Henderson-Ashkinos (#21) and Gabby Mueller (#7) are in for a good test. While they have looked better than the midfields they have faced this year, save the scrimmage against Texas A&M, the Huskers have some very solid players in this position too.
Senior Dakota Chan (#8) and sophomore Regan Raabe (#7) were both named to the Big Ten preseason players-to-watch list. They play rather different roles for their team despite both playing in the middle.
Raabe is more of an attacking midfielder. She leads the Huskers with three goals.
Chan is more of a defender and facilitator, protecting the defense and feeding Raabe and Dale.
If Baylor’s trio can force the other Nebraska midfielders to connect their defense and attack, then I like the Bears’ odds.
Rounding out the Nebraska lineup are two seniors and two sophomores in defense. They will not be lacking experience back there.
This leads to my biggest question of Baylor for the game: Who starts at forward?
Taylor Moon is undroppable from the lineup, but we have seen the other two spots rotated so far this year. One of Oliva Mack (#24) and Elizabeth Kooiman (#18) will fill in on the left flank, which leaves either Mackenzie Anthony (#14) or Haven Terry (#30) to play centrally.
I think Kooiman is in better form lately and coach Jobson has typically played Anthony alongside her.
The Bottom Line: While the game will most likely be won or lost through the midfield, Nebraska hasn’t seen an attack like Baylor’s. Between that and a loud crowd for the home opener, I think the Bears pull this one out 3-1.