This Saturday, Creighton will once again play host to the Kick’s for a Cure fundraiser. This fantastic event, put on to benefit Liz’s Legacy Cancer Fund will take place at the Rev. Michael G. Morrison, S.J., Stadium on campus (19th & California Streets).
Over the past four years, the event has raised more than $550,000 for Liz’s Legacy, a program created by the family of Liz Karnes, who lost her battle to ovarian cancer in April 2003. Although she eventually lost her life to this horrible disease, Liz spent 12 years not only fighting for her own life but encouraging others stricken with cancer to live their lives to the fullest.
The proceeds from the event will support cancer research, education, and patient care at both the University of Nebraska Medical Center Eppley Cancer Center and the Hereditary Cancer Center at Creighton University Medical Center. For just $8.00 per adult or $5.00 per youth, spectators will have an all-day pass to watch four soccer matches, including a featured matchup between the Creighton men’s soccer team and the reigning national champion Virginia. The Creighton women’s soccer team will take center stage at 4:30 p.m. and play host to in-state rival Nebraska.
“We are both thrilled and honored to be a part of this event since its inception,” women’s head coach Bruce Erickson said. “It is for a great cause and playing a rival like Nebraska helps increase the exposure of the event.”
Schedule of Games
11:00 a.m. Marian vs. Millard West
1:30 p.m. Nebraska-Omaha vs. Northwest Missouri State (women’s)
4:30 p.m. Creighton vs. Nebraska-Lincoln (women’s)
7:00 p.m. Creighton vs. Virginia (men’s)
Along with Creighton and Nebraska, fans will also be able to catch the game between two more women’s soccer programs, as Nebraska-Omaha will face off against Northwest Missouri State. Kicking off the event at 11:00 a.m. is a regular season matchup between two local high school teams, Marian and Millard West
The full day of soccer will be an excellent chance for fans to see what some of their local teams are made of and should be a good indication of the level of play to expect this fall. Erickson is certainly ready for an exciting match that his team can learn from. “The last time we played Nebraska, in the spring of 2008, the game was played at a frenetic pace. We want to slow the game down a bit and posses,” he said.
The primetime match during the event features the Bluejays and Cavaliers, two of the better collegiate soccer programs in the nation. Head coach Bob Warming said the match will serve as a good gauge for his Bluejays.
“Playing a team like Virginia will be a good measurement for where we want to be,” Warming said. “You can always watch film on a team, but when you get a chance to actually play on the field, you can really get a sense of where you are as a team. Virgina, in my opinion, has always recruited great athletes, so it will be a good measuring stick to have our men out there.”
This will be the third season in a row that Creighton has hosted the reigning national champs in a spring game.
“We are just happy to be a part of this great event, and are really looking forward to the weekend,” Warming said.
For more information about the event, visit the Kicks for a Cure Web site or the Creighton Bluejays Web site.