University of Minnesota Athletics
Soccer to Host NCAA Regional
11/12/2008 12:00:00 AM | Soccer
The University of Minnesota women’s soccer team is going back to the NCAA Tournament. As a bonus, Minnesota (20-3-0) will play host for the first and second rounds of the tournament at Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium in St. Paul.
The Gophers will meet Marquette (11-7-3) at 6:00 p.m. (CT) in a first round game on Friday, Nov. 14. Colorado (14-4-4) is the region’s top seed and will meet Summit League champion South Dakota State (13-4-1) in the other first round matchup Friday in St. Paul. Colorado and SDSU will play at 3:00 (CT).
The advancing teams will meet in a Sunday second round match at 1:00 p.m. (CT).
“We’re very excited to be back in the NCAA Tournament. Our team has worked so hard to bring this program back to the big dance,” Minnesota head coach Mikki Denney Wright said. “This is a great opportunity for our program to host an NCAA regional. We hope the soccer fans of Minnesota come out and support our program this weekend.”
Minnesota makes its sixth NCAA Tournament appearance in program history and its first since 1999. The Gophers are unbeaten in three NCAA Tournament contests they have hosted. The team is 3-5 all-time in NCAA Tournament play and has never advanced beyond the second round of the tournament.
The Gophers’ first round opponent, Marquette, comes to the tournament on the strength of an at-large bid out of the Big East. Friday’s first round matchup will mark the third meeting between the two schools and their first since 1994. The Gophers beat the Golden Eagles by a 6-1 score in the schools’ first meeting during Minnesota’s inaugural season for women’s soccer in 1993. The teams played to a 0-0 tie a year later in St. Paul.
The Gophers and Golden Eagles share just one common opponent during the 2008 season, as both schools defeated Ohio State. Marquette dispatched OSU by a 2-1 score on Aug. 29 in Milwaukee while the Gophers upended the Buckeyes by a 2-0 tally on Oct. 19 in Columbus.
Tickets for the first and second round games can be purchased by calling 1-800-U-GOPHER or by contacting the Gopher Ticket Office at 612-624-8080.
