Stainbrook scores twice as Gophers beat Nebraska in soccer

Taylor Stainbrook, a junior forward, scored her first two goals of the season as the Gophers beat Nebraska 3-1 on Thursday in Big Ten women's soccer at Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium.

The Cornhuskers (5-7-2, 1-5-2), the defending Big Ten champions, took a 1-0 lead in the 31st minute on Jaycie Johnson's first goal of the season.

But the Gophers (7-6-1, 4-3-1) tied the score when Josee Stiever scored from 10 yards out with about three minutes left in the first half. Stainbrook put the home team ahead 2-1 in the 51st minute. Simone Kolander had assists on both goals and hit a crossbar in the 52nd minute.

Stainbrook scored her second goal, beating keeper Kelly Schatz in the 68th minute for a 3-1 Minnesota lead.

The No. 1-rated Gophers women's hockey team (2-0) will open its WCHA season against Minnesota Duluth at 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday at Amsoil Arena.

Minnesota has won 11 consecutive games against the Bulldogs (1-2-1, 0-2 WCHA) going back to Jan. 14, 2012. UMD was swept by No. 2 Wisconsin, 4-1 and 6-2, last weekend.

The Gophers are 6-for-9 on the power play, a .667 percentage which leads the nation. Minnesota is also a perfect 12-for-12 on penalty kills.

No. 23-rated Minnesota (11-4, 1-3 conference) plays the Terrapins (7-8, 0-4) at 7 p.m. Friday. Ashleigh Crutcher leads the team in kills (182) and attempts (498), while Hailey Murray has a team-high 1.03 blocks per set and is hitting .284. The Gophers are 3-0 vs. Maryland, but their last meeting was in 2002.

The Gophers play the Scarlets Knights (7-6, 0-4) at 7 p.m. Saturday. Meme Fletcher has a team-high 159 kills in 535 swings and 18 aces. Eden Frazier leads the team in blocks per set (1.05) and hits .293.

Minnesota leads the league in blocks and blocks per set. As a team, the Gophers have 170.5 blocks, averaging 3.16 per set. Sisters Hannah and Paige Tapp rank first and second in the conference with 80 and 79 blocks, respectively.

Fourteen former student-athletes, coaches and administrators were inducted into the University of Minnesota's 'M' Club Hall of Fame on Thursday at TCF Bank Stadium.

The athletes: men Quincy Lewis and George Tuck, basketball; Ken Haycraft and Bill Light, football; Bob Hanning, gymnastics; Pat Micheletti, hockey; Jim Hill and Bernie Zeruhn, swimming; Keita Cline, track and field; women Kari Blank, softball; Tanya Schuh, swimming; Nicole Branagh, volleyball.

With these 14, the 'M' Club Hall of Fame grows to 320 members representing 27 varsity sports.

• Dick Mulkern, a coach and administrator at Hamline for more than three decades, will be honored when a multipurpose facility (Mulkern Court) will be dedicated in his name Friday. Mulkern was the Pipers' football coach from 1961-73 and the school's athletic director from 1974-82. He also coached wrestling and track and field.