University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
Rutgers
Minnesota Upsets No. 16 Rutgers
10/26/2014 12:00:00 AM | Soccer
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BOX SCORE: Minnesota 2, Rutgers 0 
RECORDS: University of Minnesota (10-7-1, Big Ten Conference 7-4-1); Rutgers University (11-4-1, Big Ten Conference 7-4-1)
Sophomore Josee Stiever led the University of Minnesota women's soccer team to a 2-0 upset of No. 16 Rutgers University at Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium on Sunday afternoon. The victory marks the tenth win of the season for the Maroon and Gold who recorded two shutouts on the weekend. Minnesota improves to 10-7-1 on the season and have earned a 7-4-1 conference mark.
Stiever teamed up with sophomore defender Ashley Pafko on both of the Gopher goals. The first goal came in the 33rd minute of play as Pafko served the ball to Stiever who found the back of the net by heading the ball, from six yards out, over Rutgers goalkeeper, Casey Murphy. Minnesota entered halftime with four shots on frame from four different players while tallying a total of six shots on the first stanza.
Minnesota opened the second half with numerous scoring opportunities but the most noteable was a pair of chances from sophomore Simone Kolander who fired away from ten out as a Rutgers defender blocked the first shot. The ball rebounded at Kolander's feet before she sent another at Murphy who collected the save. Kolander would tally three shots in the second half with one on frame for the Maroon and Gold.
The pair of sophomores would team up for the second time in the game in the 62nd minute of play as Stiever rebounded the ball off the corner and flicked it past Murphy, in bicycle-like fashion, to secure the win for Minnesota. Pafko was credited with both assists for the Gophers.
The Gophers would finish the match with 14 shots and seven on frame en route to the 2-0 shutout of the No. 16 Scarlet Knights. The restraining line faced a combined 13 shots from Rutgers throughout the 90 minutes of play to ensure the Gophers their seventh shutout of the season and second of the weekend.
The Sunday afternoon victory completed a sweep on the weekend of the Big Ten newcomers and tied the all-time series for both Maryland and Rutgers at 1-1. Minnesota will wrap up its 2014 regular season on Friday evening as they travel to Evanston, Ill. to match up with Big Ten foe, Northwestern.
GOPHER STAND OUT PERFORMANCES
Sophomore Josee Stiever continues her successful sophomore campaign with four points on Sunday's match against Rutgers. Stiever has recorded 6 goals on the season and collected four assists for a total of 16 points on the season. She currently sits in second place in points behind Kolander (18) but leads the team in goals for 2014.
With two assists on the afternoon, Ashley Pafko brings her season total to four. Paired with two goals, Pafko has recorded eight points on the season for the Gophers.
Sophomore goalkeeper Tarah Hobbs made three saves on the afternoon to bring her season total to 76.
Seven Gophers tallied shots on the match with Josee Stiever leading the charge with three shots on frame. Freshman Kellie McGahn tallied two shots on the afternoon with one on target. Julianna Gernes, Taylor Stainbrook, Taylor Wodnick and Kolander all fired shots for the Maroon and Gold.
WHAT IS NEXT:
Minnesota will travel to Northwestern University to wrap up the 2014 regular season on Friday, Oct. 31 at 7 p.m.
FOLLOW:
@GopherSoccer on Twitter (#GiveEverything) + Golden Gopher Soccer on Facebook
