University of Minnesota Athletics
Thursday, March 18
University Park, PA
4:30 PM
University of Minnesota
at
No. 11 Penn State
Players Mentioned
Midfielder
/ Soccer
Forward
/ Soccer
Midfielder
/ Soccer
Forward
/ Soccer
Defender
/ Soccer
Defender
/ Soccer
Goalkeeper
/ Soccer
Defender
/ Soccer
Gophers Conclude Road Slate With Visits to Penn State, Rutgers
3/17/2021 9:08:00 AM | Soccer
Thursday, March 18
Minnesota at Penn State
Time: 4:30 p.m. CT
Location: University Park, Penn.
Watch: BTN
Sunday, March 21
Minnesota at Rutgers
Time: 11:00 a.m. CT
Location: Piscataway, N.J.
Watch: BTN+
Having won three of their last four games and the team's last loss coming nearly three weeks back, Minnesota (3-1-2) remains on the road this week with pivotal matchups against Penn State (March 18) and Rutgers (March 21) – the only two teams currently sitting ahead of the Maroon & Gold in the Big Ten Conference standings. Minnesota's game against Penn State will air on BTN at 4:30 p.m. CT on Thursday, while Sunday's game against Rutgers will stream live on BTN+ at 11 a.m. CT.
SEASON RECAP
The spring 2021 campaign is officially past its midpoint, with six of Minnesota's 11 scheduled regular season games already in the books. The Gophers have performed admirably though the first half of the year, owning a 3-1-2 record and sitting in third place in the Big Ten Conference standings. With just one loss on the season, Minnesota has outscored opponents, 4-1, in the month of March. Overall, the Gophers are out-shooting their opponents, 93-32, including a 37-18 edge in shots on goal.
LAST TIME OUT
Minnesota last competed on Sunday, March 14, securing a victory in Iowa City against the Hawkeyes. Although the game was scoreless going into halftime, the Gophers took the lead in the 69th minute on freshman midfielder Sophia Boman's first career goal. Boman put one in the back of the net from outside the 18-yard box, powering Minnesota to their third victory in four games. The Gophers finished the contest with advantages in shots (12-8), shots on goal (7-5) and corners (4-1). Megan Plaschko produced a shutout in goal, saving all five shots she faced.
SERIES HISTORY
Entering Thursday's top-three Big Ten showdown in University Park, Penn State holds a 21-6-1 advantage in the all-time series between the Gophers and Nittany Lions. The most recent matchup came in 2019 at Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium, with Penn State squeaking out a 1-0 victory. Minnesota claimed the game prior to that, however, defeating Penn State in penalty kicks to claim the 2018 Big Ten Tournament Championship.
As for Rutgers, the Gophers head into Sunday's game with a 4-2 edge in the all-time series. Although Minnesota dropped the most recent matchup against the Scarlet Knights on the road in 2019 by a score of 2-0, the Maroon & Gold have won four out of their last five versus Rutgers, outscoring them 16-4 overall in the six-game history.
SCOUTING THE NITTANY LIONS AND SCARLET KNIGHTS
Three of the top teams in the Big Ten standings will all be on full display in Minnesota's two upcoming games. The Gophers (3-1-2) are tied for third place in the Big Ten with 11 points, while Penn State (4-1-1) and Rutgers (4-1-1) occupy first and second, albeit with identical records. The Nittany Lions have outscored opponents by a 15-8 margin on the season, owning victories against Northwestern, Illinois, Indiana and Michigan State. On the other hand, the Scarlet Knights have outscored their competition, 9-5, having defeated Penn State, Purdue, Michigan State and Ohio State.
TEAM LEADERS
Through the first half of the season, Sadie Harper currently paces all Gophers with two goals, while Boman and Katie Koker have scored this year as well. McKenna Buisman paces the team with 19 shots and nine shots on goal. Boman is the only other player to hit double-digits in the shot department with 16 of her own.
BREAKOUT FOR PLASCHKO
Sophomore goalkeeper Plaschko is enjoying a breakout season, having just earned Big Ten Goalkeeper of the Week honors on March 9. On Sunday against Iowa, Plaschko produced her third shutout of the season in just four starts, making five saves on the day. Plaschko has now allowed just one goal through over 496 minutes of play this season.
STRONG ON D
As a team, Minnesota has allowed just three goals across the first six games of the season (0.5 goals allowed per game) while holding opponents to 32 combined shots. Minnesota ranks first in the Big Ten in goals allowed (three) as well as tied for first in goals allowed on average (0.5). The Gophers have delivered four total shutouts as a team, which is tied for first in the conference. Dating back to last season, Minnesota has registered shutouts in five of their last eight games.
AT THE TOP OF THE B1G
Minnesota currently ranks at or near the top of the Big Ten in a variety of categories: fewest goals allowed (first; three), shutouts (tied first; four), corner kicks (first; 49), goals allowed on average (tied first; 0.5), shots (second; 93), save percentage (second; .923), shots per game (third; 15.5) and shots on goal (fifth; 37).
WEEKLY B1G HONORS
So far this season, three Gophers have hauled in weekly Big Ten honors: Boman, Koker and Plaschko. Boman was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week on March 16, while Koker and Plaschko earned Defensive Player of the Week and Goalkeeper of the Week honors on March 9, respectively.
GOING THE DISTANCE
Four Gophers have played all 587 minutes for Minnesota so far this season: Boman, Katie Duong, Athena Kuehn and Delaney Stekr.
GOLAN BECOMES LONGEST-TENURED GOPHER HEAD SOCCER COACH
With the 2020-21 campaign officially underway, head coach Stefanie Golan has now been at the helm of the program longer than any head coach in program history. Now in her ninth season with the Gophers, Golan has compiled an 89-61-23 (.518) record, won one B1G Regular Season Championship and two B1G Tournament Championships. Mikki Denney Wright (2004-11) is the only other Minnesota soccer coach to lead the program for at least eight seasons.
UP NEXT
Following this week's pair of top-three conference matchups, Minnesota returns home for the final three games of the regular season. The Gophers are set to host Purdue (March 25), Maryland (March 28) and Wisconsin (April 3) during the three-game home stand.
Minnesota at Penn State
Time: 4:30 p.m. CT
Location: University Park, Penn.
Watch: BTN
Sunday, March 21
Minnesota at Rutgers
Time: 11:00 a.m. CT
Location: Piscataway, N.J.
Watch: BTN+
Having won three of their last four games and the team's last loss coming nearly three weeks back, Minnesota (3-1-2) remains on the road this week with pivotal matchups against Penn State (March 18) and Rutgers (March 21) – the only two teams currently sitting ahead of the Maroon & Gold in the Big Ten Conference standings. Minnesota's game against Penn State will air on BTN at 4:30 p.m. CT on Thursday, while Sunday's game against Rutgers will stream live on BTN+ at 11 a.m. CT.
SEASON RECAP
The spring 2021 campaign is officially past its midpoint, with six of Minnesota's 11 scheduled regular season games already in the books. The Gophers have performed admirably though the first half of the year, owning a 3-1-2 record and sitting in third place in the Big Ten Conference standings. With just one loss on the season, Minnesota has outscored opponents, 4-1, in the month of March. Overall, the Gophers are out-shooting their opponents, 93-32, including a 37-18 edge in shots on goal.
LAST TIME OUT
Minnesota last competed on Sunday, March 14, securing a victory in Iowa City against the Hawkeyes. Although the game was scoreless going into halftime, the Gophers took the lead in the 69th minute on freshman midfielder Sophia Boman's first career goal. Boman put one in the back of the net from outside the 18-yard box, powering Minnesota to their third victory in four games. The Gophers finished the contest with advantages in shots (12-8), shots on goal (7-5) and corners (4-1). Megan Plaschko produced a shutout in goal, saving all five shots she faced.
SERIES HISTORY
Entering Thursday's top-three Big Ten showdown in University Park, Penn State holds a 21-6-1 advantage in the all-time series between the Gophers and Nittany Lions. The most recent matchup came in 2019 at Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium, with Penn State squeaking out a 1-0 victory. Minnesota claimed the game prior to that, however, defeating Penn State in penalty kicks to claim the 2018 Big Ten Tournament Championship.
As for Rutgers, the Gophers head into Sunday's game with a 4-2 edge in the all-time series. Although Minnesota dropped the most recent matchup against the Scarlet Knights on the road in 2019 by a score of 2-0, the Maroon & Gold have won four out of their last five versus Rutgers, outscoring them 16-4 overall in the six-game history.
SCOUTING THE NITTANY LIONS AND SCARLET KNIGHTS
Three of the top teams in the Big Ten standings will all be on full display in Minnesota's two upcoming games. The Gophers (3-1-2) are tied for third place in the Big Ten with 11 points, while Penn State (4-1-1) and Rutgers (4-1-1) occupy first and second, albeit with identical records. The Nittany Lions have outscored opponents by a 15-8 margin on the season, owning victories against Northwestern, Illinois, Indiana and Michigan State. On the other hand, the Scarlet Knights have outscored their competition, 9-5, having defeated Penn State, Purdue, Michigan State and Ohio State.
TEAM LEADERS
Through the first half of the season, Sadie Harper currently paces all Gophers with two goals, while Boman and Katie Koker have scored this year as well. McKenna Buisman paces the team with 19 shots and nine shots on goal. Boman is the only other player to hit double-digits in the shot department with 16 of her own.
BREAKOUT FOR PLASCHKO
Sophomore goalkeeper Plaschko is enjoying a breakout season, having just earned Big Ten Goalkeeper of the Week honors on March 9. On Sunday against Iowa, Plaschko produced her third shutout of the season in just four starts, making five saves on the day. Plaschko has now allowed just one goal through over 496 minutes of play this season.
STRONG ON D
As a team, Minnesota has allowed just three goals across the first six games of the season (0.5 goals allowed per game) while holding opponents to 32 combined shots. Minnesota ranks first in the Big Ten in goals allowed (three) as well as tied for first in goals allowed on average (0.5). The Gophers have delivered four total shutouts as a team, which is tied for first in the conference. Dating back to last season, Minnesota has registered shutouts in five of their last eight games.
AT THE TOP OF THE B1G
Minnesota currently ranks at or near the top of the Big Ten in a variety of categories: fewest goals allowed (first; three), shutouts (tied first; four), corner kicks (first; 49), goals allowed on average (tied first; 0.5), shots (second; 93), save percentage (second; .923), shots per game (third; 15.5) and shots on goal (fifth; 37).
WEEKLY B1G HONORS
So far this season, three Gophers have hauled in weekly Big Ten honors: Boman, Koker and Plaschko. Boman was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week on March 16, while Koker and Plaschko earned Defensive Player of the Week and Goalkeeper of the Week honors on March 9, respectively.
GOING THE DISTANCE
Four Gophers have played all 587 minutes for Minnesota so far this season: Boman, Katie Duong, Athena Kuehn and Delaney Stekr.
GOLAN BECOMES LONGEST-TENURED GOPHER HEAD SOCCER COACH
With the 2020-21 campaign officially underway, head coach Stefanie Golan has now been at the helm of the program longer than any head coach in program history. Now in her ninth season with the Gophers, Golan has compiled an 89-61-23 (.518) record, won one B1G Regular Season Championship and two B1G Tournament Championships. Mikki Denney Wright (2004-11) is the only other Minnesota soccer coach to lead the program for at least eight seasons.
UP NEXT
Following this week's pair of top-three conference matchups, Minnesota returns home for the final three games of the regular season. The Gophers are set to host Purdue (March 25), Maryland (March 28) and Wisconsin (April 3) during the three-game home stand.
Follow Women's Soccer
Support Women's Soccer
Support the University of Minnesota Women's Soccer program. Your support helps our student-athletes succeed athletically, academically, and socially. It takes just seconds to make a monthly or one-time donation. Thank you for your support! Give Now
2025 Season Highlights
Thursday, October 30
Play in Focus: Sarah Martin
Tuesday, October 21
Highlights: Gophers 0, Oregon 0
Sunday, October 19
Highlights: Gophers 2, Washington 3
Friday, October 17