University of Minnesota Athletics
Soccer Travels East For Matches in Boston
9/19/2007 12:00:00 AM | Soccer
The Gopher soccer team travels to the East Coast this weekend for two matches in the Boston area. Minnesota squares off with the Boston University Terriers on Friday afternoon at 3:00 p.m. and the Huskies of Northeastern University Sunday at noon. Live stats will be available via links on gophersports.com for both contests, while live audio will be available for Friday's game by clicking here.
Gopher Invitational Recap
The Golden Gopher soccer team began its home season last weekend by hosting the second annual Gopher Invitational at Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium. Iowa State, Montana and Dayton were this year’s participants, with Dayton taking home the tournament crown with a 2-0 record.
The Gophers (3-3-0), after losing 3-2 in overtime to Dayton Friday night, bounced back to defeat Montana 4-0 on Sunday afternoon. Iowa State finished 1-1 while Montana went 0-2.
Overtime Thriller vs. Flyers
It was a tale of two halves for the Minnesota Golden Gopher soccer team Friday night, as they lost a 3-2 overtime heartbreaker to the Dayton Flyers in the Gopher Invitational. An announced crowd of 1,238 spectators at Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium witnessed Katie Bethke and Lindsey Schwartz each score goals for the Gophers.
Friday night’s crowd, which was treated to a pre-game live band and free pizza, was the fifth-largest crowd in Minnesota history. The Gophers utterly dominated the first period of play and jumped out to an early 1-0 lead when Julie Rezac’s nifty pass found Bethke in the middle of the box during the 15th minute of play.
However, Schwartz’s goal was the lone highlight of the second half for the Gophers, as they were out-shot 8-2 before Caitlin Proffitt’s shot in the second overtime handed Minnesota loss in their home opener.
Offense Erupts Against Grizzlies
The Minnesota Golden Gopher soccer team used four second half goals to defeat the Montana Grizzlies 4-0 Sunday afternoon in the final game of the 2007 Gopher Invitational at Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium. Kelsey Hood, Clare Grimwood and Katie Shelander all scored their first goals of the season and Lindsey Schwartz added her fourth as the Gophers continued their offensive outburst in 2007.
After being out-shot by Dayton in the second half Friday night, head coach Mikki Denney Wright’s squad came out strong in half number two on Sunday. The Gophers piled up 15 shots and four corner kicks during the final 45 minutes of play en route to their most lopsided victory in Denney Wright’s four-year history with the program.
Goal-Scoring Machine
With six more goals scored in the Gopher Invitational, the previously-modest Minnesota offensive attack has come to life in 2007. The Gophers (3-3-0) have now scored 14 goals through six regular season matches, after scoring just 19 all of last season (19 games). Minnesota, which also notched four goals against Dartmouth last weekend, had not scored four goals twice in the same season since 1999.
Sunday’s win over Montana was also the team’s most lopsided since Sept. 29 of 2002. The Gophers defeated 14th-ranked Michigan State 4-0 that day.
An Historic Beginning
With 14 goals in their first six contests, the Gopher soccer team has reached a level of offensive production not seen in nearly 10 seasons. The last time Minnesota had scored as many goals through six contests was 1998, when they notched 25 (while posting a 5-1-0 record).
Here are the Gophers’ six-game goal tallies since that year, with the team’s record at the time in parentheses:
2006: 10 (4-1-1)
2005: 9 (3-1-2)
2004: 7 (3-3-0)
2003: 10 (3-2-1)
2002: 9 (5-1-0)
2001: 2 (2-4-0)
2000: 9 (3-3-0)
1999: 8 (3-3-0)
1998: 25 (5-1-0)
A Solid Pace
With 14 goals thorugh six games, the Gophers are now on pace to score 42 goals in 2007. The last time Minnesota scored that many goals in a season was 1998, when they scored 57 en route to a 14-6-1 record and an NCAA Tournament berth.
Minnesota’s all-time record for goals in a seaon was set in 1995 when they won the Big Ten Championship by going 8-0-1 in conference play.
Invaluable Freshmen
First-year Gophers Katie Bethke, Julie Rezac, Molly Rouse, Kylie Kallman, Angie Olson and Katie Shelander have all seen significant action thus far in 2007, and their contributions are beginning to make a mark on the statistics sheet. Minnesota freshmen have tallied 14 points and six goals already this season, 38 and 36 percent of the team’s totals in those categories. That puts them on pace to total 42 points 18 goals in an entire season.
In 2006, Gopher freshmen scored 12 points. In 2005, the current Gopher core of Lindsey Schwartz, Kelsey Hood, Clare Grimwood and Kaitlin Wagner lead a freshmen class that accounted for 42 points.
Filling the Seats
This weekend’s Gopher Invitational was a stunning sucess from an attendance standpoint, as a total of 2,246 spectators game out to watch Minnesota’s two contests. Friday night’s attendance of 1,238 was the sixth-largest crowd in Gopher soccer history, while the Sunday matinee tilt’s total of 1,008 was the 14th-largest.
All-Time Minnesota Soccer Attendance Records
1. 1,751 vs. Purdue L, 1-2 9/23/05
2. 1,611 vs. Penn State L, 0-1 (2OT) 10/28/05
3. 1,432 vs. Arizona State W, 1-0 9/4/99
4. 1,427 vs. Wisconsin L, 1-3 9/28/96
5. 1,297 vs. Ohio State W, 2-0 10/1/00
6. 1,238 vs. Dayton L, 2-3 (2OT) 9/14/07
7. 1,188 vs. Northwestern W, 1-0 9/26/99
8. 1,123 vs. Wisconsin L, 1-5 10/1/06
9. 1,085 vs. Northwestern T, 2-2 (2OT, 4-5 PK) 11/7/97*
10. 1,073 vs. Purdue L, 0-2 9/19/03
11. 1,057 vs. Illinois W, 2-0 9/28/01
12. 1,016 vs. Wisconsin-Milwaukee W, 1-0 10/13/00
13. 1,011 vs. Northwestern L, 0-1 9/29/06
14. 1,008 vs. Montana W, 4-0 9/16/07
* 1997 Big Ten Tournament (played at Blaine, Minn.)
Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium opened in 1999
Opening Weekend Bonanza
With a combined total of 2,246 fans for the two contests on opening weekend, Minnesota also drew the largest two-game total for a home-opening weekend. Here are the attendances for each of Minnesota’s opening weekends at home:
Opening Weekend at Home
1. 2,246 vs. Dayton & Montana (Sept. 14-16, 2007)
2. 1,765 vs. Drake & NDSU (Aug. 25-27, 2006)
3. 922 vs. Evansville & Montana (Aug. 30-31, 1997)
4. 568 vs Buffalo & Creighton (Aug. 29-Sept. 1, 2003)
About Boston University
While the Gophers’ offensive fortunes seem to have improved substantially over last season, the Terriers of Boston University, Minnesota’s opponent on Friday afternoon, are headed in the opposite direction. After finishing 6-1-1 in the American East Conference a year ago (and 13-5-3 overall), Boston University has stumbled out of the gates with a 2-4 start so far in 2007. The problem has been offense BU has scored just two goals this season, despite allowing just four themselves. The Terriers have already lost three matches this season by a score of 1-0.
Picked to challenge for the American East crown before the season began, Boston University was ranked third in the Northeast region preseason poll according to SoccerBuzz. Currently, they are ranked 10th in the Northeast region.
About Northeastern
The Gophers second opponent on their East Coast trip will be the Huskies of Northeastern University on Sunday afternoon in Brookline, Mass. The Huskies, ranked 12th in the preseason Northeast Region SoccerBuzz poll, currently sit at 2-2-1 for the 2007 season.
Goalkeeper Annie Petrofsky has allowed only four goals this season while notching two shutouts. However, the Huskies have also struggled with their offensive attack, scoring just three goals through their first five games. Redshirt freshman Liza Rebello led the women's soccer team with six goals in 2006.
Minnesota will be facing both Boston University and Northeastern for the first time in program history. The Gophers sport a 2-0 all-time record against the Colonial Athletic Conference (CAA), of which the Huskies are a member.
Around the Big Ten in the Polls
Perrenial Big Ten powerhouse Penn State is currently ranked 17th in the NSCAA national poll this week, as they sport a 3-2-1 overall record. Purdue (6-1-1) is tied for the conference lead in victories and jumps up to 15th in the national rankings. Ohio State (6-1-0) was among those also receiving votes.
