‘We’re supposed to be here’: Nebraska soccer using tough non-conference slate to propel it forward into Big Ten play

LINCOLN, Neb. – On Sunday, the Nebraska soccer team, which owns a 2-1-3 record, wrapped up its non-conference slate in a draw against Kansas State. Other non-conference matchups include a win in the opener against Louisville, and a draw at home against then No. 8 Notre Dame.

The teams they’ve seen so far – according to senior forward Nathalie Lewis and head coach John Walker – have been part of a challenging, but rewarding, start to the fall.

“It really showed, hey, we’re supposed to be here, like it’s a great thing to know that we can play against those teams,” Lewis said on Thursday following practice at Hibner Stadium. “I feel like it boosted our confidence a lot, like we’re actually playing for a tournament.”

“The positive is you’re capable of outplaying, competing with any team in the country,” Walker said. “The negative side of it is we can’t be happy with that. You have to get results in these games.”

Big Red’s only loss to this point is a falter to now No. 6 Alabama 2-0. The Huskers outshot the Crimson Tide 22-5 in that game, and Lewis said that being able to take advantage of scoring opportunities is something the team is really trying to hone in on during a current 10-day period between games.

“I feel like we get a lot of (scoring opportunities),” Lewis said. “That’s what I feel like is so good about our team, like we make opportunities for ourselves. So I feel like with this break that we have, just focusing on that and we’ll be good for conference play.”

Overall, Walker – who’s in his 33rd year as head coach – said the team has a clear picture of where they’re at because of the teams they played in the non-conference schedule.

“Things that we’re doing well and things that we need to work on,” Walker said. “We could have won all of the games. Created more goal chances than the opponents in every game.”

Lewis said the Huskers still have a lot to prove as they now head into Big Ten play.

“Even if we get down a goal first half, we’re still pushing,” Lewis said. “We’re still knocking on the door, like we’re not giving up until the game’s over and I really like that about this team. Watch out for that, I guess, you never know what you’re going to get with us.”

Throughout Walker’s tenure, Nebraska soccer has captured five regular season conference championships and three conference tournament titles. The last regular season championship came in 2023, and Walker said this Husker team shares similarities to that group three years ago.

“Because we’re playing such good opposition, it certainly gives you confidence as a coach,” Walker said. “There’s some things that I think we’re doing better than we did a couple of years ago when we had a team that won the Big Ten championship.”

Nebraska next hits the pitch Thursday, Sept. 10 against Indiana at Hibner Stadium, and that game kicks off at 7 p.m. to open the Big Ten schedule.