University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers Set for Creighton in NCAA First Round
11/11/2010 12:00:00 AM | Soccer
The Minnesota women's soccer team returns to the NCAA tournament for the seventh time in program history this Friday, hosting first and second round matchups at Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium. In their first NCAA appearance since 2008, the Gophers open the first round against Creighton on Friday night at 6 p.m. CST while Texas A&M and North Dakota State will play earlier in the day at 3 p.m. The winner of each game will move on the second round on Sunday at 1 p.m.
Last Time Out
Minnesota (12-5-3 overall, 4-4-2 Big Ten) ended the regular season with a two-game winning streak including a 3-0 shutout over Indiana last weekend that pushed the Gophers to a sixth-place finish in the Big Ten. Steph Brandt tallied her team-high fourth game winner in the victory while Shari Eckstrom recorded a goal and an assist and Katie Bethke added two assists. Cat Parkhill picked up her sixth shutout of the season. The win helped the Gophers break even in conference play and helped secure an at-large bid for the NCAA tournament -- the Gophers second appearance in the last three years and seventh overall.
The Series
Friday night's matchup marks the fifth all-time meeting between Minnesota and Creighton with the Bluejays owning a 2-1-1 advantage over the Gophers. But the Gophers haven't lost to Creighton since 1993 and put up a 3-0 shutout against the Bluejays in the teams' last meeting in 2008 in route to a Round of 16 appearance by the Gophers. Minnesota has never met Texas A&M and is 3-0-0 all-time against North Dakota State.
Follow the Action
All three of this weekend's games will be broadcast free of charge in the Gold Zone on Gophersports.com. Live stats and a running game blog will also be available all season long at Gophersports.com.
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Scouting the Bluejays
Creighton (15-3-2, 5-1-0 Missouri Valley Conference) returns to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2007 after winning the MVC tournament for an automatic bid -- defeating Missouri State 2-1 in overtime. Three Bluejays have reached the 20-point plateau including Andrea Zuniga, a junior forward who leads Creighton with 25 points (8g, 9a). In goal, Alicia Montgomery has allowed nine goals with 66 saves in 15 appearances.
Scouting the Bison
North Dakota State (12-5-5, 6-2-1 Summit League) also earned an automatic bid after defeating Western Illinois 3-1 for the Summit League title. Senior forward Ryan Quin leads NDSU with 15 points (6g, 3a) while goalkeeper Kalani Bertsch has given up 15 goals in 16 games this season.
Scouting the Aggies
Texas A&M (15-4-2, 8-1-1 Big 12) returns to the NCAA tournament for the 16th-straight season. The Aggies ended the regular season ranked No. 9 in the NSCAA/Hendrickscars.com poll after falling to Oklahoma 1-0 in overtime in the Big 12 championship semifinal. The Aggies earned an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament after spending most of the season ranked in the top ten. Texas A&M has three players with 20 or more points including Alyssa Mautz, who leads the Aggies with 29 points (12g, 5a). Kelly Dyer and Kristin Arnold have split time in net for Texas A&M with Arnold playing in both of the Aggies' Big 12 tournament games.
Back in the Dance
Minnesota returns to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2008 when the Gophers won the Big Ten title and advanced to the Round of 16 for the first time in program history. Minnesota has now made seven national tournament appearances since the program's inception in 1993. The Gophers made their first NCAA appearance in 1995 -- the first of five consecutive appearances including three-straight second round appearances from 1997-99. Minnesota is 5-6 in the NCAA tournament and 2-1 under Mikki Denney Wright.
Bethke, Kallman Earn Big Ten Honors
Seniors Katie Bethke and Kylie Kallman were both honored earlier this week as 2010 Second Team All-Big Ten team members. It was the third-career honor for Bethke and first for Kallman. Bethke, who leads the Big Ten with 13 assists this season, earned First Team All-Big Ten honors last year and was a part of the Big Ten All-Freshman team in 2007.
Been There, Done That
12 members of this year's Gophers squad competed for the 2008 Sweet Sixteen team -- meaning Minnesota will have plenty of NCAA experience in its starting lineup. Seniors Molly Rouse and Julie Rezac each tallied goals during Minnesota's 2008 tournament campaign while senior Katie Bethke pegged an assist.
Home Sweet Home
For the second time in three years, Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium will host the first and second rounds of the NCAA tournament. Opened in 1999, the 1,000 spectator venue has given Minnesota 56-35-8 home record and has seen opposing teams leave St. Paul with a win just four times since the beginning of the 2007 season. Minnesota is 2-0 at The Robbie in the NCAA tournament.
The In Crowd
Six Big Ten teams were selected for this year's NCAA tournament including Minnesota. Joining the Gophers in the field will be Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State, Illinois and Wisconsin. Three of Minnesota's nonconference opponents (Notre Dame, South Carolina and San Diego) were also selected, giving Minnesota eight 2010 opponents in the NCAA field.
Coaching Connection
Minnesota head coach Mikki Denney Wright is very familiar with the the Omaha, Neb. area, having grown up in the city and attending Marian High School, where Denney Wright was a standout soccer player. Denney Wright was a two-time state soccer champion at Marian and was inducted into Marian's Athletic Hall of Fame earlier this year. Denney Wright's father, Mike Denney, is the head wrestling coach at Nebraska-Omaha and has guided the Mavericks to six NCAA Division II titles including the 2010 national championship.
Another Coaching Connection
While none of Minnesota's coaching staff have worked at Creighton, they are all quite familiar with Omaha, Neb. Head coach Mikki Denney Wright and assistant coaches Jerrod Roh and Krystle Kallman were all born in Bergan Mercy Hospital -- just a few miles away from Creighton. Kylie Kallman -- a senior for Minnesota and Krystle's younger sister -- was also born at the hospital. 
Spreading the Wealth
Five Gophers have reached double digit points already in 2010. Senior Katie Bethke (19), junior Shari Eckstrom (18), senior Molly Rouse (17), junior Tamara Strahota (15) and redshirt freshman Steph Brandt (13) are pacing the Big Ten's most productive offense. Rouse, Strahota and Bethke were the only Gophers to record 10 or more points last season.
Sitting on Top
As a unit, the Golden Gophers are one of the Big Ten's most potent offenses. Minnesota ranks first in the conference in points (127), assists (53) and corners (148). The Gophers trail Penn State by just two goals for most in the Big Ten with 37 while Minnesota is also second in the conference with 328 shots.
Among the Nation's Best
With 13 assists this season, senior midfielder Katie Bethke sits tied for fifth most in the nation. Bethke, who leads the Big Ten in the category, ranks second in the Minnesota record books for assists in a season after Jennifer Walek's 18 assist campaign in 1995.
Milestone Watch
The Gophers currently sit with 199 total wins -- just one win away from the program's 200th win. Meanwhile, coach Mikki Denney Wright picked up her 75th win as head coach of the Gophers against Purdue on Oct. 10. Now in her seventh season with Minnesota, Denney Wright has averaged more than 10 wins a season.
Bethke Moves Up The Record Book
Senior midfielder Katie Bethke continues to climb in the school record book. Bethke's 13 assists this season have already jumped her from eighth to second all-time with 32 career assists. Jennifer Walek (1993-97) ranks first in the Gophers book with 42 career assists. Bethke also ranks among the top ten in school history in career points (78, 7th), goals (23, 9th) and shots (180, 7th). The senior needs just three more points to tie Gretchen Brandt (1993-93) for sixth in school history with 81 career points.
Parkhill Makes Her Mark
Sophomore goalkeeper Cat Parkhill continues to rise up the record book. Parkhill's 24 career wins are the fourth most in Minnesota history, while the keeper also ranks fourth all-time in career shutouts at Minnesota with 15 and fifth in program history with 3,654:07 minutes played.
