Colorado University Athletics
Thais/Keller Pick Up Big 12 Weekly Honors
November 04, 2003 | General, Soccer
DALLAS-- University of Colorado junior midfielder Jen Thais and sophomore goalkeeper Jessica Keller have been named the Big 12 Conference's offensive and defensive players of the week for their play in CU's 3-1 win over then-No. 22 Nebraska the league office announced Tuesday. The two join Texas' Nikki Thaden who was tabbed the league's newcomer of the week.
The weekly honor is a career first for both players, and the Buffs fourth and fifth of the season.
Just 60 seconds after Nebraska took a 1-0 lead, junior co-captain Jen Thais scored the equalizer against then-No. 22 Nebraska in the 17th minute, then 95 seconds later dished the ball to Katie Griffin who would net the game winner, as the Buffs beat a Nebraska team for the first time in program history. In the coldest game in CU's history, she was 50 percent from the field as she scored once on just two shots against Nebraska keeper Brooke Bredenberg. CU's three goals were the most ever scored against a Nebraska team as in the seven previous meetings, the Buffs had been held to four goals.
Jessica Keller picked up her league-leading 14th win of the season when she stopped six Nebraska shots in CU's 3-1 win over the Huskers Friday in Boulder. Keller's play helped lead the Buffs to the program's first ever win over nemesis Nebraska. Keller was forced to make a half dozen saves, while allowing just a single score in just the third time in eight meetings the Buffs have held the perennial conference powerhouse to just one goal. Keller had a pair of key saves in preserving CU's win. In the 40th minute she knocked down a header by NU's Ashley Carter. Facing Carter again in the 80th minute, Keller came deep out of goal for a clear, but had to scramble back to the goal line to make a one-handed diving save on Carter's sixth shot of the game that came off the clear.
Fifth ranked Colorado will take a 15-2-1 overall record and 8-1-1 Big 12 mark into this weekend's Big 12 Tournament in San Antonio where the Buffs are the No. 1 seed. They will take on eighth-seeded Missouri in the tournament's first game, Thursday, Nov. 6 at 10 a.m. (MT).
