University of Minnesota Athletics
LIVE BLOG: Gopher Soccer Begins Big Ten Season
9/28/2008 12:00:00 AM | Soccer
The Gopher soccer team (10-1-0) looks to rebound from its loss at Michigan State on Friday this afternoon with a match at Michigan. Follow the team at gophersports.com throughout the weekend for an all-access look at Minnesota Soccer.
SUNDAY
1:56 PM
And the final horn sounds and the Gophers polish off a 1-0 win. Katie Bethke, Sara Clancy and Molly Rouse worked together during the final minutes to control possession and to help ice the game for the Gophers. Look for a game story later today on gophersports.com...
1:52 PM
For the second time in the past fifteen minutes or so, a Michigan player has fell victim to leg cramps. Perhaps the Gophers' constant hydration and high level condition has benefited them here this afternoon.
1:50 PM
Minnesota is playing a possession style game in the waning minutes of the second half. The Gopher forwards are working balls in toward the corners and the midfielders are playing the ball back to the defenders liberally.
Still 1-0 Minnesota with just under four minutes left.
1:43 PM
Molly Rouse was able to bring the ball in deep a draw a foul from Michigan, but Kaitlin Wagner's penalty kick sailed over the crossbar high.
1:39 PM
The physical play has continued here in the latter stages of the second half. Balls in the air are being contested with elbows rather than foreheads. The Gophers still hold a 1-0 lead with just over 12:00 to play.
1:33 PM
Minnesota has played some great soccer here in past five minutes or so, getting some very nice touches from central midfielders Kaitlin Wagner and Kelsey Hood out to wide midfielders Molly Rouse and Julie Rezac. It seems like only a matter of time until one of the Gopher forwards is able to get on the end of one of these nice balls into the middle by Rouse or Rezac.
1:22 PM
With just over 28:00 to play in the second half, the Gophers trotted in five subs. Among the five were wide midfielders Molly Rouse and Julie Rezac who helped the Gophers control play so well in the middle of the field in the first half. We'll see if their fresh legs have a positive effect for Minnesota.
1:13 PM
We've seen physical play throughout the afternoon from the Gophers, but things are starting to pick up here in the second half. Sara Clancy was fouled hard early in the half and Katie Shelander just gave a Michigan defender a healthy shove after a ball the two were chasing went out of bounds.
1:10 PM
Michigan just had its best scoring chance of the game with a 3-on-2 break, but Krystle Kallman made a great sliding tackle to break up the play.
1:07 PM
Tam Strahota just took a very nice through pass from Sara Clancy and just missed wide with her left foot on a shallow angle shot. The Gophers have started the second half with many of the reserves they ended the first half with: Angie Olson, Katie Shelander, Shari Eckstrom, Sara Clancy and Tam Strahota are all on the pitch as the second stanza begins for the Maroon and Gold.
12:55 PM
The match reaches halftime with the Gophers still holding a 1-0 lead. Minnesota has outshot the Wolverines by a 10-5 margin in the first half. Time will tell if Michigan will be forced to shift its patient strategy if the Gophers continue to lead as the match wears on.
12:42 PM
Michigan has shown a willingness to play a very patient match here. The Wolverines retreat for the most part when the Gophers regain touch. It looks like Michigan will try to glean their scoring chances from counter-attacks and long passes.
12:25 PM
GOAL! Kaitlin Wagner puts the Gophers on the scoreboard with a hard strike from the top of the box. Wagner's goal came after she was fed by Reigning Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week Kelsey Hood along the top of the box.
12:24 PM
The Minnesota effort has been strong in the midfield, but the Gophers have been unable to find something with promise in the final third. Rouse and Rezac continue to be impressive along the outside.
12:10 PM
The Gophers have really pushed things here early. Molly Rouse and Julie Rezac have really done a nice job out in the wide midfield positions of pushing the ball up the field and challenging their Michigan counterparts.
11:58 AM
The weather is picture perfect for the second game in a row. The forecast calls for a high of 71 degrees today in Plymouth. Minnesota will wear their white uniforms today with maroon numerals. MIchigan is wearing their home navy uniforms with maize numerals and white trim.
11:37 AM
The Gophers have arrived at Plymouth Canton Soccer Complex and are in the midst of pregame warmups. The Michigan men's and women's programs have been using various soccer fields around the Ann Arbor area as their home complex is still under construction. It seems a safe bet that this complex will be among the most primitive facilities that will entertain collegiate soccer this season. It will be interesting to see how both teams deal with the unfamiliar conditions.
10:39 AM
With luggage and gear packed on the bus, the coaching staff is holding a pregame meeting with players at the hotel. The group will go over last-minute details about what to expect from today's game against Michigan. The team is hoping to continue to be stingy defensively against Michigan - the Gophers have not allowed more than four shots on goal in any of its 11 matches this season.
9:07 AM
Minnesota players and coaches are eating breakfast and preparing for their match later today against Michigan. The match starts at Noon (CT) and will be played at a large high school complex just east of Ann Arbor. The Wolverines' current soccer complex is still under construction. Reports are that the facility is adequate, but gets used often, resulting in sometimes unpredictable surface conditions. Hopefully, the Gophers don't run into any problems.
Players will eat and receive any treatments they need before leaving the hotel later this morning. The scouting report on Michigan is one that details a solid defensive squad that likes to carefully choose when to counter attack. Michigan head coach Greg Ryan, in his first year at Michigan, has guided a young team to a respectable 3-4-3 mark against some tough competition.
SATURDAY
8:56 AM
Following breakfast and a brief team meeting, the Gophers are back out at DeMartin Stadium this morning for a walk-through. The team made it through its match yesterday with Michigan State fairly injury-free and is looking healthy this morning. The team will spend most of the day relaxing and will eventually make its way south to Ann Arbor to spend the night before its Sunday game against Michigan.
The Wolverines, who ended their match last night against Iowa in Ann Arbor in a 0-0 tie, are 3-4-3 through ten games this season. Michigan head coach Greg Ryan is in his first year with the program after three seasons at the helm of the U.S. women's national program. On a team with a lot of talented young players, it will be interesting to see what Ryan cooks up against the Gophers tomorrow afternoon in Ann Arbor.
FRIDAY
4:58 PM
And the 2-0 Spartan lead holds as the match goes final. Look for the game story a bit later on gophersports.com...
4:52 PM
Gopher keeper Lindsey Dare just made a fantastic save on a breakaway by MSU's Heyboer. The Gophers still trail 2-0 with just under four minutes remaining in the match.
4:45 PM
The Gophers just had possibly their best scoring chance of the afternoon, but a header off a set piece rolled just wide of the far post. MSU keeper Lindsey Wrege looked got caught between a defender and the post on the play, but appears to be all right.
4:40 PM
Michigan State's Lindsey Heyboer just netted the second goal of the afternoon for the Spartans, staking the home squad to a 2-0 lead with under 20:00 to play. Heyboer's goal was her Big Ten-leading 10th of the young season.
4:34 PM
The intensity is picking up here in East Lansing as both teams battle in the Big Ten opener. The Gophers still trail by a 1-0 score with 21:00 left.
4:24 PM
The match continues to be a physical one. Clare Grimwood seems to be leading the charge as the Gopher midfield has been picking up its play since the Spartans' goal. Minnesota still trails 1-0 with 30:00 left
4:14 PM
Michigan State scores the first goal of the match just 3:57 into the second half. The goal is just the third allowed by the Gophers this season.
4:10 PM
Good news for Gopher fans ... Lindsey Schwartz is back in at forward to start the second half.
3:59 PM
The match reaches the halfway point still scoreless. If the first half was any indication, we should see a physical and well-played second half.
Gopher fans will be hoping senior Lindsey Schwartz returns in the second half after sustaining a leg injury that forced her to miss the majority of the opening half. Tam Strahota, who entered the game for Schwartz when she left, played well in Schwartz' stead but the Gophers are surely be a much more dangerous scoring threat with Schwartz on the pitch.
3:44 PM
Michigan State has been called for a pair of offsides calls here in the last ten minutes of the first half. Both MSU coach Tom Saxton and the home crowd did not seem to appreciate the calls.
3:40 PM
In spite of not yet making a save, Minnesota goalkeeper Lindsey Dare has been especially active, coming out of the box to play a number of balls and to intercept some potentially dangerous Spartans crosses.
3:27 PM
The Kallman sisters - Krystle and Kylie - are really imposing their will physically on the Spartan forwards. MSU has had some success with some long passes, but the Gopher defenders are simply not giving any ground in traffic.
3:21 PM
Minnesota was able to put together the first significant scoring chance of the contest off its first corner kick opportunity. Clare Grimwood's sent a great ball in from the corner, but Kaitlin Wagner's header was deflected wide.
3:15 PM
Unfortunately, the game's opening minutes have seen a pair of players leave the game with injuries. Michigan State's Kristi Timar left the game with an apparent knee injury and Minnesota's Lindsey Schwartz has left with what looked like a leg issue of some sort. Timar's injury appeared to be the more serious of the two.
3:06 PM
Play has been fairly balanced through the match's first five minutes. It's clear why MSU true freshman Laura Heyboer has already tallied nine goals and six assists through her team's first nine games - Heyboer really has an extra gear and weaves in and out of traffic smoothly.
2:55 PM
The Gophers will be wearing their maroon uniforms this afternoon with white numerals while the host Spartans sport white jerseys with green trim and numbers. The starting lineups are just being introduced and players are taking their positions for the national anthem.
2:49 PM
A significant Minnesota cheering contingent has made its way from the parking lot to the field to show its support for the Gophers this afternoon. A group of Gopher fans greeted the Minnesota bus as it entered the parking lot and it looks like about 30 percent of the crowd is wearing maroon and gold.
2:29 PM
Minnesota has arrived at DeMartin Stadium at Old College Field and is starting its pregame warmup routine. DeMartin Stadium received a face-lift over the offseason as the facility added a press box and expanded seating.
The playing surface appears to be in good shape less than two weeks after much of the field was under water due to heavy rains in the area. There are a few patchy areas near the teams' benches - which are situated opposite the stands and press box here in East Lansing - but it doesn't looks like the surface will play a pivitol role this afternoon.
12:12 PM
The Golden Gophers are in East Lansing, Mich. today as they begin Big Ten play later this afternoon against Michigan State. After a brief walk-through this morning at Michigan State’s DeMartin Stadium at Old College Field, the Gophers returned to their hotel and enjoyed a pregame meal.
Most players will lay low for the next few hours as game time approaches and some others will receive treatment. The weather report is favorable for this afternoon’s match, as the forecast calls for temperatures in the mid-70s for the majority of the weekend.
