University of Minnesota Athletics
Gopher Soccer Makes History, Faces Irish Friday
11/16/2008 12:00:00 AM | Soccer
UPDATE: Minnesota will travel to South Bend, Ind. to play No. 1 Notre Dame in the third round of the NCAA Tournament at either 5 p.m. or 7:30 p.m. That game will take place at Alumni Field on the Notre Dame. More details will follow when available.
The Minnesota women’s soccer team used a fast start to make history Sunday at Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium in St. Paul.
Molly Rouse scored in the second minute and Lindsey Schwartz added a goal and an assist to lift the Golden Gophers to their first ever appearance in the NCAA Sweet Sixteen with a 2-0 victory over South Dakota State.
Minnesota (22-3-0) will face the nation’s top seed, No. 1-ranked Notre Dame, in the third round on Friday, Nov. 21 at Alumni Field in South Bend, Ind. That game will start at either 5 p.m. or 7:30 p.m.
“This was a huge statement for our team,” said Gopher head coach Mikki Denney Wright. “This group of seniors has accomplished a lot of things. They went undefeated at home this year and brought the program the furthest it has ever gone in the NCAA Tournament. It shows what the players have given to the program and how they have turned this program around in the four years they've been here.”
Denney Wright was looking for Minnesota to get off to a fast start. And for the second straight match the Gophers gave her exactly what she wanted as Minnesota found the back of the net in the second minute of the game.
Rouse took a beautiful feed at the top right of the six-yard box from Lindsey Schwartz and skipped it past SDSU goalkeeper Nicole Lograsso for a quick 1-0 Minnesota lead. The goal was is the fastest of the year for the Gophers, who improved their record to a spectacular 20-0-0 when scoring first this season.
It was the fourth goal of the season and the second game-winner for Rouse, who moved into third place on the team in scoring with 15 points on the year.
The Gophers’ leading scorer, Schwartz, added a goal of her own just 12 minutes later, heading in a well-placed cross by Katie Bethke from the left side of the goal box past Lograsso for a 2-0 Minnesota lead.
It would turn out to be more than enough for the Gophers, who ended the game with a dominating 16-8 advantage in shots, including a 7-2 edge in shots on goal, and won for the eighth time in their last nine games.
Gopher goalkeeper Lindsey Dare stopped both Jackrabbit shots on goal en route to her Big Ten and team record 17th shutout of the season. The 17 shutouts for Minnesota is the most ever by a Big Ten team in a single season,
Erin Kasmarik tallied both shots on goal for South Dakota State (15-5-1), while Lograsso made five saves for the Jackrabbits.
The Gophers will now turn their attention to Notre Dame, and take a little time to enjoy the second round victory as well.
“Right now we’re going to enjoy this victory and we are going to prepare the same way we always do," said Denney Wright. "We are going to play Minnesota soccer and put our best performance out there. I think it’s going to be a great game next week. And the key for us against Notre Dame is for us to play our best game.”
