University of Minnesota Athletics
Sunday, April 11
Champaign, IL
12:00 PM
University of Minnesota
vs
Iowa
Players Mentioned
Midfielder
/ Soccer
Forward
/ Soccer
Defender
/ Soccer
Midfielder
/ Soccer
Forward
/ Soccer
Forward
/ Soccer
Defender
/ Soccer
Defender
/ Soccer
Forward
/ Soccer
Midfielder/Forward
/ Soccer
Goalkeeper
/ Soccer
Defender
/ Soccer
Minnesota Looks to Secure B1G Tournament Bid on Sunday vs. Iowa
4/9/2021 10:33:00 PM | Soccer
Sunday, April 11
Minnesota vs. Iowa
Time: 12:00 p.m. CT
Location: Champaign, Ill.
Watch: BTN+
Minnesota (5-3-3) is set to take on Iowa (3-8-1) in the Big Ten Regional Weekend west finale this Sunday at 12 p.m. CT in Champaign, Ill. The game will stream live on BTN+, with the winner earning a berth at the 2021 Big Ten Tournament.
SEASON RECAP
The Gophers wrapped up the spring 2021 regular season with a 5-3-3 record and tied for seventh place in the Big Ten standings. As a result, Minnesota earned a No. 3 seed in the Big Ten West region. Included in the Maroon & Gold's record is a 3-0-3 mark at home, while the team went 2-3-0 on the road. The Gophers enjoyed their most successful stretch of the campaign from March 1 to March 14, when the team went 3-0-1 over four games, securing victories against Michigan State (1-0), Northwestern (2-1, OT) and Iowa (1-0).
LAST TIME OUT
Minnesota's first game at Big Ten Regional Weekend was scheduled for Thursday against Nebraska, but that matchup was deemed a no-contest as mutually agreed upon by both teams due to health and safety concerns in the Nebraska program. As a result, Nebraska withdrew from the event and Minnesota advanced to Sunday by default. When the Gophers last competed, they played to a 1-1 double-overtime draw versus Wisconsin on April 3. Following a scoreless first half, Wisconsin scored quickly in the 50th minute, but the Gophers responded in the 53rd minute as Abi Frandsen netted her first career goal to make it 1-1. That score held through double-overtime, thanks to a sliding goal line save by defender Katie Koker in the 107th minute.
SERIES HISTORY
Sunday's matchup marks the second of the campaign between Minnesota and Iowa, as the two teams previously went head-to-head on March 14 of the regular season. In that game, Minnesota claimed a 1-0 victory thanks to freshman Sophia Boman's first career goal in the 69th minute of play. With their March 14 win, the Gophers improved their lead in the all-time series against the Hawkeyes to 14-5-4. Over their previous five meetings, Minnesota is 4-1 against Iowa with four shutout victories. Since head coach Stefanie Golan took the reins in 2021, the Gophers have outscored the Hawkeyes, 12-6.
SCOUTING THE HAWKEYES
As the seventh seed in the Big Ten West region, Iowa enters Sunday's game with a 3-8-1 record on the season, having defeated Illinois this past Thursday with a 2-1 overtime victory to advance at Big Ten Regional Weekend. Included in the Hawkeyes' season resume is a 1-3-1 mark at home and a 2-5 record in away games, as Sunday's matchup against Minnesota will signify the first neutral site game of 2021 for both squads. Through 12 games, Iowa ranks last in the Big Ten with five goals scored, while their 14 goals allowed are the fifth most. The Hawkeyes rank sixth in the conference with 133 shots and their 57 shots on goal are good for ninth.
WEEKLY B1G HONORS
Just this past Tuesday, Koker was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week for her performance against Wisconsin on April 3. Koker came off the bench to play 58 minutes while making a game-saving play by making a sliding team save on the goal line to clear a potential golden goal. So far this season, four different Gophers have combined to haul in six total weekly Big Ten honors.
Katie Koker – Defensive Player of the Week (April 6)
Sophia Boman – Co-Freshman of the Week (March 30)
Delaney Stekr – Defensive Player of the Week (March 30)
Sophia Boman – Freshman of the Week (March 16)
Katie Koker – Defensive Player of the Week (March 9)
Megan Plaschko – Goalkeeper of the Week (March 9)
RISING TO THE OCCASION
Although Big Ten Regional Weekend does not constitute as Big Ten Tournament play, the Gophers thrived the last time they faced elimination against a fellow conference opponent. As the No. 7 seed in the 2018 Big Ten Tournament, Minnesota surprised many by winning three consecutive games and upsetting two national top-25 teams, No. 21 Rutgers and No. 15 Penn State, to win the 2018 B1G Tournament Championship.
TEAM LEADERS
Through 11 games, Boman and Sadie Harper are tied for the team lead with two goals, while McKenna Buisman, Frandsen and Koker have scored one goal apiece as well. Katie Duong leads the squad with three assists. Meanwhile, Boman paces the team with five points and 30 shots, while Buisman follows closely behind with 26 shots of her own.
STRONG ON D
Minnesota's six shutouts this season are tied for the second most in the Big Ten, trailing only Wisconsin (seven). The Gophers have allowed just eight goals all season, which is tied for the second fewest in the conference. The team has surrendered a mere 65 shots all year long, while producing 157 shots of their own. Dating back to last season, Minnesota has registered shutouts in seven of their last 13 games.
AT THE TOP OF THE B1G
Minnesota currently ranks at or near the top of the Big Ten in a variety of categories: corner kicks (first; 74), shutouts (tied second; six), fewest goals allowed (tied second; eight), shots (third; 157), goals allowed on average (third; 0.73), shots per game (third; 14.27) and shots on goal (sixth; 62).
GOING THE DISTANCE
Three Gophers have played all 1,057 minutes for Minnesota so far this season: Boman, Duong and Athena Kuehn.
GOLAN BECOMES LONGEST-TENURED GOPHER HEAD SOCCER COACH
With the 2020-21 campaign officially underway, 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 a 92-63-24 (.581) 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.
CAPTAINING THE SHIP
Seniors Kuehn, Makenzie Langdok and Celina Nummerdor will serve as captains for Minnesota throughout the season. These three Gophers will lead a six-player, team-elected Leadership Group that also consists of juniors Alana Dressely and Stekr, as well as sophomore Duong.
GLOBE TROTTERS
The 24 Gophers that make up the 2021 roster hail from 12 different states. The biggest constituency comes from Minnesota, as 10 current players are from The Land of 10,000 Lakes.
UP NEXT
The winner of Sunday's game will earn a berth at the 2021 Big Ten Tournament, scheduled for April 15-18.
Minnesota vs. Iowa
Time: 12:00 p.m. CT
Location: Champaign, Ill.
Watch: BTN+
Minnesota (5-3-3) is set to take on Iowa (3-8-1) in the Big Ten Regional Weekend west finale this Sunday at 12 p.m. CT in Champaign, Ill. The game will stream live on BTN+, with the winner earning a berth at the 2021 Big Ten Tournament.
SEASON RECAP
The Gophers wrapped up the spring 2021 regular season with a 5-3-3 record and tied for seventh place in the Big Ten standings. As a result, Minnesota earned a No. 3 seed in the Big Ten West region. Included in the Maroon & Gold's record is a 3-0-3 mark at home, while the team went 2-3-0 on the road. The Gophers enjoyed their most successful stretch of the campaign from March 1 to March 14, when the team went 3-0-1 over four games, securing victories against Michigan State (1-0), Northwestern (2-1, OT) and Iowa (1-0).
LAST TIME OUT
Minnesota's first game at Big Ten Regional Weekend was scheduled for Thursday against Nebraska, but that matchup was deemed a no-contest as mutually agreed upon by both teams due to health and safety concerns in the Nebraska program. As a result, Nebraska withdrew from the event and Minnesota advanced to Sunday by default. When the Gophers last competed, they played to a 1-1 double-overtime draw versus Wisconsin on April 3. Following a scoreless first half, Wisconsin scored quickly in the 50th minute, but the Gophers responded in the 53rd minute as Abi Frandsen netted her first career goal to make it 1-1. That score held through double-overtime, thanks to a sliding goal line save by defender Katie Koker in the 107th minute.
SERIES HISTORY
Sunday's matchup marks the second of the campaign between Minnesota and Iowa, as the two teams previously went head-to-head on March 14 of the regular season. In that game, Minnesota claimed a 1-0 victory thanks to freshman Sophia Boman's first career goal in the 69th minute of play. With their March 14 win, the Gophers improved their lead in the all-time series against the Hawkeyes to 14-5-4. Over their previous five meetings, Minnesota is 4-1 against Iowa with four shutout victories. Since head coach Stefanie Golan took the reins in 2021, the Gophers have outscored the Hawkeyes, 12-6.
SCOUTING THE HAWKEYES
As the seventh seed in the Big Ten West region, Iowa enters Sunday's game with a 3-8-1 record on the season, having defeated Illinois this past Thursday with a 2-1 overtime victory to advance at Big Ten Regional Weekend. Included in the Hawkeyes' season resume is a 1-3-1 mark at home and a 2-5 record in away games, as Sunday's matchup against Minnesota will signify the first neutral site game of 2021 for both squads. Through 12 games, Iowa ranks last in the Big Ten with five goals scored, while their 14 goals allowed are the fifth most. The Hawkeyes rank sixth in the conference with 133 shots and their 57 shots on goal are good for ninth.
WEEKLY B1G HONORS
Just this past Tuesday, Koker was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week for her performance against Wisconsin on April 3. Koker came off the bench to play 58 minutes while making a game-saving play by making a sliding team save on the goal line to clear a potential golden goal. So far this season, four different Gophers have combined to haul in six total weekly Big Ten honors.
Katie Koker – Defensive Player of the Week (April 6)
Sophia Boman – Co-Freshman of the Week (March 30)
Delaney Stekr – Defensive Player of the Week (March 30)
Sophia Boman – Freshman of the Week (March 16)
Katie Koker – Defensive Player of the Week (March 9)
Megan Plaschko – Goalkeeper of the Week (March 9)
RISING TO THE OCCASION
Although Big Ten Regional Weekend does not constitute as Big Ten Tournament play, the Gophers thrived the last time they faced elimination against a fellow conference opponent. As the No. 7 seed in the 2018 Big Ten Tournament, Minnesota surprised many by winning three consecutive games and upsetting two national top-25 teams, No. 21 Rutgers and No. 15 Penn State, to win the 2018 B1G Tournament Championship.
TEAM LEADERS
Through 11 games, Boman and Sadie Harper are tied for the team lead with two goals, while McKenna Buisman, Frandsen and Koker have scored one goal apiece as well. Katie Duong leads the squad with three assists. Meanwhile, Boman paces the team with five points and 30 shots, while Buisman follows closely behind with 26 shots of her own.
STRONG ON D
Minnesota's six shutouts this season are tied for the second most in the Big Ten, trailing only Wisconsin (seven). The Gophers have allowed just eight goals all season, which is tied for the second fewest in the conference. The team has surrendered a mere 65 shots all year long, while producing 157 shots of their own. Dating back to last season, Minnesota has registered shutouts in seven of their last 13 games.
AT THE TOP OF THE B1G
Minnesota currently ranks at or near the top of the Big Ten in a variety of categories: corner kicks (first; 74), shutouts (tied second; six), fewest goals allowed (tied second; eight), shots (third; 157), goals allowed on average (third; 0.73), shots per game (third; 14.27) and shots on goal (sixth; 62).
GOING THE DISTANCE
Three Gophers have played all 1,057 minutes for Minnesota so far this season: Boman, Duong and Athena Kuehn.
GOLAN BECOMES LONGEST-TENURED GOPHER HEAD SOCCER COACH
With the 2020-21 campaign officially underway, 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 a 92-63-24 (.581) 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.
CAPTAINING THE SHIP
Seniors Kuehn, Makenzie Langdok and Celina Nummerdor will serve as captains for Minnesota throughout the season. These three Gophers will lead a six-player, team-elected Leadership Group that also consists of juniors Alana Dressely and Stekr, as well as sophomore Duong.
GLOBE TROTTERS
The 24 Gophers that make up the 2021 roster hail from 12 different states. The biggest constituency comes from Minnesota, as 10 current players are from The Land of 10,000 Lakes.
UP NEXT
The winner of Sunday's game will earn a berth at the 2021 Big Ten Tournament, scheduled for April 15-18.
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