University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers to Rock the Robbie
10/8/2014 12:00:00 AM | Soccer
| University of Minnesota hosts Nebraska // Rock the Robbie | |
| Date/Time | Friday, Oct. 3, 2014 at 7 p.m. // Sunday, Oct. 5 at 1 p.m. |
| Location | Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium |
| Live Stats | |
| Live Updates | @GopherSoccer |
| Live Video | BTN Plus ($) |
| Official Websites | Nebraska |
| Social Media | @GopherSoccer | Facebook |
Oct. 8, 2014
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. - To kick off a split home and away weekend, the University of Minnesota women's soccer team will host reigning Big Ten champions, Nebraska, in a Thursday night showdown under the lights of Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium. The match is set to begin at 7 p.m. and will be streamed live on BTN Plus.
LAST TIME OUT
The Maroon and Gold hosted both then-No. 7 Penn State University and Penn State University last weekend at Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium. An own goal decided the fate of the Gophers as they fell to the Nittany Lions, 1-0.
Minnesota earned their first tie of the season when the Buckeyes of Ohio State University came to the Robbie. The Gophers were the first to strike as senior Olivia Schultz netted her fourth goal of the season to put the Gophers up in the 11th minute of play. OSU evened the score at one when Alexis Degler was able to send the ball past Hobbs after she settled a loose ball in the box in the 33rd minute. The teams would fight through the second half as well as two ten minute overtime periods before ending the game in a draw.
THE OPPONENTS
The reigning Big Ten champions, Nebraska, will visit Minnesota after dropping two matches in Michigan last weekend. Both Michigan and Michigan State defeated the Huskers, 3-1. Nebraska has only accumulated one conference win against Nebraska while falling to Michigan State, Michigan, Wisconsin and Illinois and tying Northwestern and Rutgers. The Cornhuskers have a 5-6-2 overall record.
Nebraska leads the all-time series with a 7-2 record. Last season, the Huskers shutout the Gophers at home 1-0 and eliminated the Maroon and Gold from the conference tournament in the first game outscoring Minnesota 4-1.
ROCK THE ROBBIE
The match up between the Gophers and the Huskers marks the annual "Rock the Robbie" game at Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium. Tickets are $1 and students get in free. Snapback hats and throwback Thursday t-shirts will be given out at the game to those in attendance.
Shuttles will run from Bierman Field Athletic Building to the Robbie beginning at 6 p.m. and will run until an hour after the conclusion of the match.
NO SOPHOMORE SLUMP
The sophomore class has stepped up in more ways than one for this young Gopher team. With the scoring ability of Simone Kolander, Josee Stiever in the midfield, Ashley Pafko and Rashida Beal holding down the back line and Tarah Hobbs in goal, the sophomore class is leading the team to new heights. Stiever proved this as she and Pafko teamed up to win the game for the Maroon and Gold on Sunday. The sophomore class that boasts 5 starters and accounts for nearly half of the Gophers 50 points will be a forced to be reckoned with in the coming months and years.
To read more about the contributions of the underclassmen, read "The Underclassmen Takeover" here.
GOALKEEPER GLORY
Sophomores Tarah Hobbs and Mara Dougherty have made quite the pair in goal this year for the Maroon and Gold. Hobbs, the reigning Big Ten Goalkeeper of the Year, has 54 saves on the season. Hobbs has started eight of the Gophers nine games while Mara Dougherty stepped in and played one match for Minnesota this season tallying 4 saves against Auburn.
Hobbs earned nine saves during the Gophers tie with Ohio State last weekend at home. The Buckeyes came out in the first OT period on fire as they barrelled six shots on goal at Hobbs. Hobbs met each challenge, tallying six saves in the ten minute time span, to keep Minnesota alive. Her most noteable saves were back-to-back on Nichelle Prince breakaway.
TUNING IN
Live stats for both games will be available via the University of Minnesota Game Day Central page. The game will be available for viewing via BTN + digital platform live from Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium. Fans who cannot watch online or attend the matches are encouraged to follow the Gophers on Twitter for live game updates (@GopherSoccer).
FRESH FACES
Thee nine freshman that were added to the 2014 roster have proved to be a tremendous addition. Squires and Rachel McCloskey have started each of the 4 matches for the Maroon and Gold, combining for five of the Gophers 14 goals. Seven of the nine freshman have seen playing time in a regular season game and four have contributed to the Gophers 42 points including Squires, McCloskey, Hannah Holm and Juliana Gernes.
THE NOTORIOUS B1G
The Big Ten Conference announced its 2014 Preseason Coaches' Poll in August with the Gophers picked to finish eleventh in the conference behind new members Maryland and Rutgers who will both make their way to Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium in October. Penn State was picked to top the conference after finishing last season with a 7-4 conference record. One of their four losses came at the hands of the Gophers.
As of this week, three teams in the Big Ten sit in the top 25 of the NSCAA weekly rankings while two other teams have received votes.
With the announcement of the preseason coaches' poll, the 2014 players to watch list was also revealed. It was no surprise that 2013 Big Ten Goalkeeper of the Year, Tarah Hobbs, was named among midfielders Josee Stiever and Katie. Last season, Thyken led the charge in terms of scoring with a career high tying 7 goals.
In 2013, a Big Ten Conference record eight teams earned NCAA Tournament berths including Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Penn State and Ohio State while Iowa made their first ever post season run. 2013 RECAP Minnesota posted an 11-8-2 record last season while collecting four conferences wins in Stefanie Golan's second year as head coach of the Maroon and Gold. Wins and loses do not tell the entire story for the Gophers last season as they defeated then No. 7 Penn State, No. 17 Michigan and Wisconsin to punch their ticket into the first round of the NCAA Tournament. A first round loss to Texas Tech on their home pitch sent the Gophers home after reaching the tournament for the first time since 2010 when Minnesota reached the Sweet Sixteen.
NCAA TOURNAMENT APPEARANCES
Minnesota has made eight NCAA Tournament appearances in its history including a string of five postseason runs from 1995-99. During the programs third year of existence, the Golden Gophers made their first appearance in the 1995 and again in 1996 before reaching the second round three-consecutive times in 1997-99. The Gophers made their first Sweet Sixteen appearance in 2008 and then advanced to the Sweet 16 again in 2010. Last season's first round appearance marked Coach Golan's first tournament berth with the Maroon and Gold.
LEADING THE WAY
Minnesota announced at the beginning of the season that seniors Becca Roberts and Olivia Schultz and junior Haley Helverson will join Katie as captains for the 2014 season.
THIRD TIME IS THE CHARM
Stefanie Golan is entering her third season as the Gophers head coach with an overall record of 28-21-5 over the past three seasons. The Maroon and Gold return associate head coach and former Gopher defender Krystle Seidel as well as assistant coach Deana Waintraub-Stafford. New to the staff are MacKenzie Misel who will serve as volunteer assistant coach and Tam Strahota as director of soccer operations. Both new hires are former Gopher standouts.
JOIN THE CONVERSATION
Are you following the Gophers on the road or from home? Make sure to follow @GopherSoccer on Twitter and use the hashtag #GiveEverything. You can also check for updates on Facebook and Instagram by "Liking" Golden Gopher Soccer on Facebook or following the Gophers on Instagram.
