University of Minnesota Athletics
BLOG: No. 23 Soccer Hits the Road
10/19/2008 12:00:00 AM | Soccer
The No. 23 University of Minnesota women's soccer team hits the road this weekend for contests at Penn State and Ohio State. Gophersports.com will be your Minnesota Soccer blog headquarters for the entire weekend. Track gophersports.com all weekend for everything Minnesota Soccer, including updates before, during and after the Gophers' two key games against the Nittany Lions and Buckeyes.
This weekend, the Gophers take in tow U of M athletic communications staffer Doug Vose, who'll be checking in with gophersports.com with exclusive player interviews, game updates and other unique content. To ask a question, submit a comment or to offer some unique insight you'd like to see addressed here this weekend, drop Doug a line at vosej004@umn.edu. We'll be addressing reader questions and comments all weekend long.
SUNDAY
2:02 PM
The game goes final with the Gophers hanging on to the 2-0 win. Look for a full recap later today at gophersports.com
1:53 PM
Although the Gophers have moved into a defensive, possession-oriented approach here in the waning minutes, the Buckeyes have been able to get some pressure, knocking a handful of chances off a crossbar.
1:43 PM
A strange series of events here late in the second half. On a corner kick set piece for OSU, bodies were flying everywhere. It looked as if the Buckeyes may have scored a goal, as a shot appeared to be blocked past the goal line. Referee Brian Apwisch sorted the play out and assigned the Gophers' Julie Rezac a red card. On the ensuing penalty kick for the Buckeyes, Lindsey Dare made a highlight reel save on OSU's Ashley Bowyer. The Gophers will finish the match one player down for the last 10 minutes or so.
1:35 PM
Looks like Denney Wright was just giving Krystle Kallman a brief rest after all. The senior comes back into the game with just over 18:00 left. Tam Strahota is back on the pitch in place of Clare Grimwood.
1:33 PM
Goal!!!! Molly Rouse nets her third score of the season with assists going to Kylie Kallman and Lindsey Schwartz. On a corner kick sent in by Schwartz to the far post, Kallman's header reversed the ball. Rouse beat OSU keeper Katie Baumgardner, who was screened on the play, with a strong strike to the back of the net.
1:27 PM
Freshman reserve defender Josie Solie has just come in to replace Krystle Kallman. We'll see if Denney Wright plans on simply giving Kallman a quick blow on the sidelines or whether she'll ride Solie for the rest of the afternoon. The Gophers still lead 1-0 with just over 25:00 remaining.
1:25 PM
Either referee Brian Apwisch is a stickler, or the Gophers are playing a little too rough. Minnesota has drawn three yellow cards in the match today.
1:19 PM
The Buckeyes have come out strong here in the second half and have generated a few scoring opportunities. The best of those opportunities came when a ball was crossed after Minnesota keeper had come to the near post to contest a possible shallow-angle shot. The cross never found it's intended target, as Kylie Kallman got just good enough position on the Ohio State striker to take her out of the play.
1:13 PM
Molly Rouse just had a shot that was tipped by OSU keeper Katie Baumgardner. After Baumgardner's tip, the ball rolled toward the goal line with a scrambling Baumgardner in pursuit. The ball rolled just outside the right post over to give the Gophers a corner kick. The Buckeyes crowd let out a large collective "Ohhh!"
1:09 PM
The Gophers start the second half with the same group that started the game. Julie Rezac is back in playing a wide midfield position after Tam Strahota spelled her midway through the first half.
12:59 PM
The match reaches the halftime intermission with the Gophers holding a 1-0 lead. Today's game marks the first time the Minnesota coaching staff has used just one substitute in the opening half. Tam Strahota was the only Minnesota reserve to see playing time in the first. We'll have to see what sort of substitution strategy the Gophers employ in the second half.
12:48 PM
It seems like OSU's strategy in the attacking third here in the first half is to take things at Minnesota defender Krystle Kallman, the Gophers' right back. Jennie Clark and Kylie Kallman are probably faster than Krystle. Teams might see this on film and try to go after Krystle on the Gophers' right side. It seems like a good strategy until OSU's forwards end up on their backs. Krystle seems to have a way of winding up with the ball whenever the Buckeyes have tried coming at her this afternoon.
12:43 PM
Minnesota has played some great soccer here in the latter stages of the first half. Kelsey Hood has helped the Gophers' cause quite a bit and has dominated on 50-50 balls in the middle of the pitch. Katie Bethke continues to frustrate the OSU defense, taking on two defenders at a time in some cases.
12:39 PM
Tam Strahota has just entered the game for the Gophers, replacing Julie Rezac. With the move, it looks like coach MIkki Denney Wright will slide Katie Bethke into a wide midfield slot while Strahota will play up top alongside Lindsey Schwartz.
12:34 PM
Although she has not had a clear-cut scoring opportunity this afternoon, Katie Bethke has played well up top for the Gophers. The sophomore has shown her excellent ball skills again here today. Just a moment ago, Bethke was able to turn an OSU defender and send a driving cross across the goalmouth, but nobody was home.
12:28 PM
Just after the Wagner goal, the Gophers had another great chance off a driven corner kick by Lindsey Schwartz. Kylie Kallman got on the end of the ball from the corner, but a hard header went just wide of the goal.
12:24 PM
GOAL! Kaitlin Wagner scores her fourth goal of the season on a free kick from just outside the 18-yard box. Wagner sent hard, driving ball off the near post that ricocheted into the goal after squeezing by OSU keeper Katie Baumgardner. Lindsey Schwartz had drawn a foul after chasing down a ball played in from midfield. Wagner's goal is her second this season on a free kick.
12:18 PM
We've seen some physical play between Minnesota's Lindsey Schwartz and OSU's Colleen Brady. Schwartz and Brady have been using elbow hooks and subtle shoves to try and win a handful of 50-50 balls here in the opening half. The Schwartz-Brady matchup is one we'll be watching closely.
12:12 PM
The teams seem to be feeling each other out here in the opening minutes of the first half. The Gophers have been able to funnel the ball down into OSU's end of the pitch a few times, but haven't had a significant scoring opportunity. The "Big Three" in back for Minnesota have performed well. Jennie Clark just denied an OSU forward she tried to beat Clark to the end line.
11:53 AM
It's a picture perfect day here in Columbus. Looks like temperature will remain in the low-50s throughout today's match.
11:44 AM
Gopher soccer fans came watch the team live today courtesy of Ohio State's official athletics website. Find the link at the top of the blog page.
11:28 AM
Greetings from Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium in Columbus! The Gophers have arrived at the pitch and are warming up for their afternoon contest against Ohio State. The Buckeyes are coming off a 3-2 win over Iowa on Friday night while the Gophers are trying to avenge their second loss of the season, a 2-0 decision at Penn State on Friday.
We've had the opportunity to hear from a number of Gopher fans on the trip thus far. One Minnesota Soccer fan, Ryan in Northfield, writes in:
Ryan: "How do you think the Gophers will respond today (Sunday) after suffering a setback Friday in Happy Valley? Can the "Big Three" in the back help contain the Buckeyes' Lisa Collison?"
First of all, thanks for the insightful question, Ryan. We'll be watching closely during today's match to see how the Gophers defend Collison, who is playing her last home game as a Buckeye as the team celebrates 'Senior Day' this afternoon. In OSU's Friday night contest, it was forward Paige Maxwell who accounted for the Buckeyes' damage against Iowa, as the forward recorded a hat trick. More telling today will be how the Gophers perform when they have scoring chances. Head coach Mikki Denney Wright seemed to believe that the team created plenty of chances on Friday against PSU (Minnesota outshot Penn State 18-10), but struggled converting those chances into goals. We'll see how the team performs this afternoon...
FRIDAY
4:44 PM
Penn State remains content to defend here in the waning minutes of the match. The Gophers have been able to move the ball into the PSU zone, but haven't been able to put together a scoring chance since their four-shot flurry early in the second half.
4:36 PM
The Nittany Lions have moved into a defensive formation as they hold a 2-0 lead with just over 15:00 to play. All but two PSU players are consistently behind the ball.
4:23 PM
Penn State pushes their lead to 2-0 with a goal from Meghan Gill. Katie Schoepfer tallies her second assist of the afternoon. Schoepfer was able to corral a pass along the end line and feed Gill who scored into the upper left corner from 10 yards out.
4:13 PM
Minnesota just had a flurry of shots in the opening minutes of the second half. Katie Bethke drew a foul just outside the 18-yard box to create the Minnesota chance. A pair of shots by Kaitlin Wagner created a rebound opportunity for Molly Rouse, but PSU keeper Alyssa Naeher was able to make the save. On the ensuing corner kick, a shot by Kylie Kallman hit the right post.
4:08 PM
The match reaches the halftime intermission with the host Nittany Lions holding a 1-0 lead. The Gophers outshot PSU 7-6 in the opening stanza.
3:43 PM
Even after the early goal, the Gophers have been successful keeping their composure and playing PSU's possession game. The Nittany Lions' bread and butter seems to be long passes from their midfield to their forwards, especially sophomore Danielle Toney.
3:24 PM
Tam Strahota just found herself on a breakaway, but her shot sailed just high over the crossbar. A pass from the Minnesota midfield found its way through the Penn State defense, and the freshman was one-on-one with the Nittany Lions' All-American keeper Alyssa Naeher but was unable to finish.
3:20 PM
Although PSU holds a 1-0 lead, the Gophers have been moderately successful maintaining possession in the PSU zone. Katie Schoepfer has been an important player for PSU as the junior has helped lead the Nittany Lions' counter attack here in the first half.
3:08 PM
(PSU 1 UM 0, 6th minute) Penn State goes up 1-0 here early in the first half. Katie Schoepfer sent a ball into the Minnesota zone and Danielle Toney finished to give the Nittany Lions the early lead. The goal is just the fifth Minnesota has permitted this year.
2:54 PM
We've got a modest crowd here as the starting lineups are announced. The Gophers will be wearing their maroon jerseys with white numerals while Penn State sports white jerseys with navy trim and numbers.
2:43 PM
Rob from Maple Grove, Minn. writes in and asks about the atmosphere on campus here in State College. Jeffrey Field sits in the shadow of Penn State's Beaver Stadium, where the Nittany Lion football team plays its Homecoming game tomorrow afternoon against Michigan. In fact, today's Minnesota-Penn State match was moved up to a 4:00 (ET) start to accommodate PSU's Homecoming parade later today. Because of the throngs of PSU supporters invading State College, Pa. in anticipation for the big game tomorrow, Minnesota Soccer will hit the road immediately following their game this afternoon.
2:24 PM
The Gophers and Nittany Lions have hit the field and are in the midst of their pregame warmup routines. Penn State showed up at the pitch just a few minutes after Minnesota arrived. The Lady Lions were screaming and chanting from their bus. Interesting entrance.
It looks like the weather will cooperate after all. Temperatures are in the low-50s and the clouds have broken up a bit.
12:06 PM
The Gophers just ate lunch and are settled in their rooms at the hotel as the prepare for their 3:00 game with the Nittany Lions. At lunch, Gophersports.com had a chance to chat with head coach Mikki Denney Wright and the rest of the Minnesota coaching staff to discuss this afternoon's game. With the Gophers and Nittany Lions both proud owners of 4-1 league records, this afternoon's match could carry some serious weight as the conference race shakes out.
"Penn State is a very good team, and they're even better at home," head coach MIkki Denney Wright said. "This a team that's aiming for their 11th straight Big Ten championship, and only has one loss in their last 65 home games in the Big Ten. So it's fair to say this is a big game today."
The Nittany Lions' dominance at Jeffrey Field is well-documented. PSU has not lost at home against a Big Ten Conference foe since Denney Wright was in her playing days for the Gophers. Minnesota came into State College on Oct. 1, 1995 - Denney Wright's junior season - and defeated the Nittany Lions 2-0 on their way to the Big Ten regular season title.
PSU has not lost at Jeffrey Field to a Big Ten foe since.
10:49 AM
Following a brief walk through this morning at Penn State's Jeffrey Field, the Gophers are back at their hotel where they will eat lunch, get any treatment they need and rest before their game at 3:00 (CT) this afternoon. It's an overcast day here in State College and the forecast calls for around a 50-50 chance of rain for the rest of the day. It looks like we'll be able to expect temperatures in the low- to mid-50s for the match this afternoon.
Many of the players commented during this morning's walk-through that they were hoping for the weather to remain cool as it helps keep the team keep their legs fresh throughout the contest. We'll try and track down a player during lunch to get some comments on the weather...
THURSDAY
7:52 PM
Much of the thanks for the Gophers' 14-1-0 start this season has to go to the Minnesota defensive core. This group has permitted just four goals through 15 games this season. Gophersports.com got a chance to sit down with sophomore defender Kylie Kallman as she and the Gophers made their way to State College, Pa. Thursday afternoon to discuss a wide range of topics...
Gophersports.com: What's it going to be like playing PSU in their own back yard?
Kylie Kallman:: I’m really excited to play them on their home turf. We hope to play well, take it to them and battle hard for that top spot in the Big Ten.
GS:: What about your Sunday opponent Ohio State? Is there a revenge factor after last year's home loss to the Buckeyes?
KK: I think we’ll all be just really pumped up. I know everyone was bummed out with the outcome last year, especially with the fact they beat us on our home turf. It'll be an exciting game.
GS:: Do you have a favorite class this year so far?
KK: I’d have to go with anthropology. I just dissected a sheep’s brain last night, so that was cool.
GS: Did you get a little queasy?
KK: No, the other girls couldn’t believe that I was touching it. They were just sitting at our table watching me I was slicing that thing up, cutting through the cerebral cortex and stuff.
GS:: What's it like playing with your sister?
KK: It was kind of strange in the spring because it had been three years since we had played together. This summer, we got to play [Minnesota] Lightning together.
GS:: You and your sister are both defenders, but you seem to have different playing styles. How would you characterize the difference between Krystle and yourself?
KK: She's really known for her physicality and for winning balls in the air. She's a great defender. We all (defensive group) just have play very determined, we're not necessarily the ones scoring most of the goals, but we're focused on keeping that "0" on the scoreboard.
2:21 PM
As the Gophers tune up for their big weekend, University facilities personnel are installing tall light standards around the Gophers' practice field at Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium. As the sun goes down earlier and earlier as the fall presses on, sunlight increasingly will become an issue for afternoon practices. As the Gophers' 14-1 record goes to show, this team is poised for a run in the postseason.
12:46 PM
Many of the Gopher soccer players are milling around the lobby at Bierman Field Athletic Building, waiting to board the bus that will take them to Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium in St. Paul. The Gophers will hold practice on their home turf this afternoon before heading to the airport. Check back soon for live updates from practice.
