University of Minnesota Athletics
Gopher Soccer Opens Big Ten Season Friday Night
9/26/2007 12:00:00 AM | Soccer
The Minnesota Golden Gopher soccer team opens its 15th season of Big Ten play Friday night when they take on the Michigan Wolverines at 7:00 p.m. at Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium. Sunday, Minnesota will square off with the Michigan State Spartans at 1:00 p.m. Both matches can be watched live in the Gold Zone.
The Gophers' Big Ten opening weekend is also MYSA (Minnesota Youth Soccer Association) weekend, where all MYSA players wearing their youth jerseys can get into the game for free (parent tickets are only $1). All fans that bring a canned food item to support Second Harvest will receive a raffle ticket to win great prizes throughout the game! A ceremony honoring the 2007 inductees into the Minnesota "M Club" Hall of Fame will also be held at halftime on Friday. In addition, MYSA will be giving out free water bottles to fans on both Friday and Sunday.
For a complete Minnesota Soccer promotions schedule, click here.
For a complete pdf version of this weekend's notes, scroll down to the link at the end of this page.
Boston Recap
The Minnesota soccer team wrapped up its non-conference season last weekend, playing two matches in the Boston area and emerging with a 1-0-1 record. Friday night, Minnesota played the Terriers of Boston University (ranked 10th in their region) to a 1-1 tie at Nickerson Field. Sunday, the Gophers trounced Northeastern University 3-0, out-shooting the Huskies 21-5.
Drawing the Terriers
The Minnesota Golden Gopher soccer team played a hard-fought back-and-forth match with the Boston University Terriers Friday afternoon, but could only manage a 1-1 double-overtime tie in their opening contest on the East Coast. Lindsey Schwartz scored her Big Ten-leading fifth goal of the season just 10 minutes into the contest, but the Gophers could not put another score in the net and saw their record drop to 3-3-1.
After scoring six goals during last weekend’s Gopher Invitational and seven the weekend before that, Minnesota went the final 100 minutes of Friday’s contest without a goal. The Gophers held onto their early lead until the 71st minute, when BU’s Farrell McClernon received a feed inside the box from Shauna Kelleher and snuck a shot past keeper Chelsey Turner. Turner made five saves on the afternoon to increase her season total to 35.
Taming the Huskies
The Minnesota Golden Gopher soccer team dominated from start to finish en route to a 3-0 victory over the Northeastern Huskies Sunday afternoon in Brookline, Mass. The team wrapped up their non-conference schedule with a 4-3-1 overall record and will begin Big Ten play Friday night when they host Michigan.
Minnesota controlled nearly all 90 minutes of Sunday’s match, out-shooting the Huskies 21-5 and winning the battle of corner kicks 6-3. After Clare Grimwood put the Gophers up 1-0 with her second goal of the season just 4:37 into the match, Minnesota was able to hold Northeastern (2-4-1) both scoreless and shot-less for the entire first period. All five of the Huskies’ shots came in the second half.
Charging Into the Big Ten
Their non-conference season completed, the Gopher soccer team is poised and ready for Big Ten play. Minnesota ranks highly amongst its conference opponents in numerous statistical categories through the first eight games of the season, including shots (second with 148 total and 18.5/game), points (third with 49) and goals (third with 18 and 2.25/game). The Gophers are also second in the conference in total corner kicks (61) and first in corners per game with 7.62.
She’s on Fire!
Lindsey Schwartz, Minnesota’s leading scorer for each of the past two seasons, has been absolutely on fire through the first eight games of the season. Schwartz has six goals, three assists and 15 points so far this season, with all three figures approach her career highs. Within the Big Ten, Schwartz joins some exclusive company. She currently leads the conference in goals (6), shots per game (4.00), points (15), points per game (1.88) and is tied for second in assists (3).
At her current pace, Schwartz will score 14 goals and notch 34 points during the Gophers’ 18-game regular season. That would be the most goals and points by a Minnesota player since Nicole Lee piled up 17 goals and 43 points in 1998.
Second Fiddle to No One
The prescence of freshmen attackers Katie Bethke and Julie Rezac has helped Schwartz during her torrid offensive streak, but both newcomers have fared well in their own rights as well. Rezac is currently tied for fourth on the team with four points, while Bethke has been one of the conference’s hottest players of late. The freshman out of Eau Claire, Wisc. already has 10 points on the young season following her four-point performance on Sunday against Northeastern.
Bethke’s 10 points puts her in a fifth-place tie in the conference, and she is also tied for the Big Ten lead in assists with four.
Through the Gophers’ first eight games, here is how Bethke compares to other freshmen in the Big Ten:
Goals: 2nd (3)
Assists: 1st (4)
Points: Tied-1st (10)
Sunday Specialty
One of the signs of a good team is its ability to bounce back from a tough outing, something the Golden Gophers have excelled at this season. Minnesota is 1-2-1 on Fridays so far this season and has only outscored their opponents 7-6 in those contests. On Sundays, however, the Gophers have been nothing short of spectacular. Minnesota is 3-1-0 on Sundays and has outscored its opponents 11-2 so far, a testament to the team’s “bouce-back” ability.
Big Ten Beginnings
Friday night will mark the beginning of the 15th Big Ten season in Gopher history. Unfortunately, the Gophers have not won a Big Ten opener since 2001 (when they beat Ohio State 1-0) and have an all-time record of 6-7-1 in conference openers overall.
About Michigan
The Wolverines have scuffled out of the gate somewhat season (they were 2-4-0 before Friday’s game) but has played some of the NCAA’s toughest competition. The Wolverines are 0-1-1 in matches with national powerhouses Notre Dame and USC. Amanda Bowery leads the Michigan attack with eight points this season. The teams’ last two matches have gone into double overtime, including a 0-0 tie last year at Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium. Minnesota leads the all-time series 8-5-1.
About Michigan State
Michigan State, picked to finish eighth in the preseason Big Ten coaches poll, has been a pleasant surprise so far. The Spartans already boast quality wins over Penn and Syracuse, and played nationally-ranked BYU to an overtime 1-0 loss earlier this season. Michigan State lost just one starter from a team that went 4-9-0 last season. Sophomore Lauren Hill leads the team with 12 points and is followed closely by senior Maureen Pawlak, who has 11.
Last season, the Spartans beat the Gophers 2-0 at Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium. Minnesota leads the all-time series between the schools 8-7-1.
Around the Big Ten in the Polls
Purdue becomes the highest-ranked Big Ten team in the NSCAA national poll this week, taking over the 11th spot with an outstanding 8-1-1 record. Penn State (5-2-1) is the only other team in the top-25, while Indiana and Illinois were among those also receiving votes.
