University of Minnesota Athletics
Saturday, September 18
Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium
6:00 PM
University of Minnesota
vs
Wisconsin
Players Mentioned
Forward
/ Soccer
Defender
/ Soccer
Defender
/ Soccer
Goalkeeper
/ Soccer
Photo by: Kelly Hagenson
Minnesota's Undefeated Record on the Line in the 2021 Border Battle
9/15/2021 4:09:00 PM | Soccer
The Gophers' matchup with the Badgers is SOLD OUT.
MINNEAPOLIS -- The University of Minnesota (4-0-3, 0-0-0) hosts the 2021 Border Battle against Wisconsin (5-1-2, 0-0-0 B1G) on Saturday, Sept. 18, at 6 p.m. on BTN+. The matchup serves as the Gophers annual Rock the Robbie event with tickets being just $1 with fans encouraged to wear gold to the match.
ROCK THE ROBBIE IS SOLD OUT!
For the first time in program history the Gophers have officially sold out Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium. Fans were able to take advantage of $1 tickets to attend Saturday's match with the Wisconsin Badgers in the annual Border Battle. Fans are encouraged to look forward to future home matchups with top-quality Big Ten opponents such as Rutgers (Sept. 30), Penn State (Oct. 3) and Illinois (Oct. 14).
QUICK NOTES VS. WISCONSIN
- In the 34-match history of the Border Battle, Wisconsin own a 19-13-2 advantage over Minnesota with the latest meeting ending in a tie in Minneapolis by a score of 1-1
- The last time the Gophers defeated the Badgers was in 2013 when Haley Helverson, who now is an assistant coach at Drake, scored in double overtime in Madison
- Wisconsin's roster is comprised of five student-athletes that hail from the state of Minnesota
- The 2021 season for Minnesota will be the first under the new leadership of Erin Chastain who returned to her alma mater after serving as the head coach at DePaul for the past 14 seasons
- The University of Minnesota coaching staff is comprised of four women, making them one of just four staffs across the Power 5 conferences to have an all-female staff
LAST TIME OUT - NORTH DAKOTA
The University of Minnesota (4-0-3, 0-0-0 B1G) finished its non-conference schedule with an unblemished record after taking out North Dakota 2-0 on Sept. 12, at Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium. Sophomore Maddie Baker scored her first career goal, Makenzie Langdok added an insurance goal and Megan Plaschko secured another clean sheet in the victory over the Fighting Hawks.
"I thought we stepped up today and created a lot of good opportunities," head coach Erin Chastain said. "I don't think we were clean enough in front of goal, certainly we are happy with the shutout and happy that they didn't really have any chances to score. Our backs and goalkeeper were very disciplined today. We are happy to end the non-conference with no losses and no goals against. We fully recognize that we are going to have to kick it up a notch with the Big Ten."
LANGDOK NAMED BIG TEN DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Makenzie Langdok has been named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week for her performances against Omaha and North Dakota this past weekend, as announced by the conference office on Sept. 14.
Langdok, a graduate student studying Special Education, was dynamic for the Gophers this past weekend, scoring her first goal of the season in the 2-0 win over North Dakota while also contributing to back-to-back clean sheets on the defensive side of the field. Langdok was not afraid to step up and take chances on the offensive end during the Gophers 1-0-1 weekend finishing with eight shots, the second most on the team last weekend. Langdok's sixth-career goal sits her atop Minnesota's active leaders in career goals. Defensively Langdok's performance helped extend the Maroon and Gold's clean sheet streak to seven matches to begin the 2021 season, which is the longest in program history and the second longest in Big Ten history to start a season. Minnesota's 4-0-3 record also marked the first time since 2008, and second time in program history, that the team finished undefeated in the non-conference portion of the season.
THE GREAT GOPHER DEFENSE
The Gophers extended their season-opening shutout streak to seven against North Dakota, marking just the second program in Big Ten history that a team posted seven-straight (or more) shutouts to start any season (Rutgers - 2015, 2017). The shutout streak has reached 690-straight minutes for Minnesota to begin the 2021 season. The Wisconsin Badgers achieved this feat prior to the Big Ten began sponsoring women's soccer and Maryland pulled the streak off prior to joining the Big Ten.
SCOUTING WISCONSIN
Wisconsin rolls into Saturday's match with Minnesota coming off two overtime matches last weekend, both in which the Badgers won with a golden goal. Wisconsin has played in four-straight overtime matches, going 2-0-2 in those matches. Offensively Emma Jaskaniec is the leader of the Badger attack with five goals, which is tied for the 39th most in the nation this season. Senior Natalie Viggiano has been Wisconsin's clutch performer this season, being the only individual with multiple game-winning goals. Jordyn Bloomer, who is a returning All-American, has started all eight matches for Wisconsin, making 28 saves and posting four clean sheets against Kansas City, Kansas, Eastern Illinois and Loyola.
Sunday's Border Battle between Minnesota and Wisconsin is the 35th meeting between the rival programs. The Badgers own a 19-13-2 advantage in the history of the series. In the most recent match ended in a 1-1 draw in Minneapolis with Minnesota's goal coming from Abi Frandsen late in the second half. Wisconsin has not lost to Minnesota since 2013 when Haley Helverson, who now is an assistant coach at Drake, scored in double overtime in Madison. The last time the Gophers took down Wisconsin in Minnesota was in 2012.
THE PLASCHKO PRESENCE
Megan Plaschko's individual shutout total reached six with her shutouts of Omaha and North Dakota last week. The junior captain now has 11 clean sheets in her career with her six this season tied for the most in NCAA Division I with Creighton's Keelan Terrell. Plaschko is also one of just four goalkeepers in the country (and the only in the Big Ten) to have a perfect save percentage as well as posting a 0.00 goals against average so far this year. Minnesota's defense is one of just three in the nation this year that has yet to concede a goal with the Gophers joined by Wake Forest and Tennessee.
UNBLEMISHED IN NON-CONFERENCE PLAY
For the first time since the legendary 2008 Gopher squad that reached the NCAA Tournament Third Round Minnesota finished the non-conference portion of its schedule undefeated. The run in the non-conference is just the second time in program history the Gophers had not taken a loss before Big Ten play and did so without allowing a single goal.
A RECORD-BREAKING START TO THE CHASTAIN ERA
The dawn of the Chastain era has been one for the record books in 2021. Erin Chastain, who returned home to Minnesota to lead the Gophers after 14 seasons at DePaul, has kicked off her opening season with a undefeated 4-0-3 start, marking just the fourth women's soccer coach in Big Ten history, and first Minnesota soccer coach, to start her first year undefeated in her first seven matches.
STATISTICAL BREAKDOWN
Nationally the Gophers are, to no surprise, ranked near the top in every statistical category defensively. Additionally the Gophers are ranked seventh in the country in corner kicks per match while also coming in at 35th in shots per match. Minnesota's 8.57 corners per match is the best in the Big Ten while the mark of 19.00 is ranked fifth in the Big Ten in regards to shots per match.
BIG TEN TOUGH
The Big Ten Conference concluded the non-conference schedule with the second-best record among all of the NCAA Division I conferences. The Big Ten finished with a record of 68-23-14, just ahead of the Big East who finished with the third-best record at 50-18-7. The ACC finished with the best record by any conference with a record of 80-16-6. Additional note: The Big 12 still has one week of non-conference play remaining.
UP NEXT
Minnesota continues its Big Ten schedule with a pair of road matches with the first coming against Ohio State (5-3-0, 0-0-0 B1G) on Sept. 23, at 6 p.m. The Gophers will pair that match with a road test against Michigan State (5-0-2, 0-0-0 B1G) on Sept. 26, at 11 a.m. Both matches will be streamed on BTN+.
ROCK THE ROBBIE IS SOLD OUT!
For the first time in program history the Gophers have officially sold out Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium. Fans were able to take advantage of $1 tickets to attend Saturday's match with the Wisconsin Badgers in the annual Border Battle. Fans are encouraged to look forward to future home matchups with top-quality Big Ten opponents such as Rutgers (Sept. 30), Penn State (Oct. 3) and Illinois (Oct. 14).
QUICK NOTES VS. WISCONSIN
- In the 34-match history of the Border Battle, Wisconsin own a 19-13-2 advantage over Minnesota with the latest meeting ending in a tie in Minneapolis by a score of 1-1
- The last time the Gophers defeated the Badgers was in 2013 when Haley Helverson, who now is an assistant coach at Drake, scored in double overtime in Madison
- Wisconsin's roster is comprised of five student-athletes that hail from the state of Minnesota
- The 2021 season for Minnesota will be the first under the new leadership of Erin Chastain who returned to her alma mater after serving as the head coach at DePaul for the past 14 seasons
- The University of Minnesota coaching staff is comprised of four women, making them one of just four staffs across the Power 5 conferences to have an all-female staff
LAST TIME OUT - NORTH DAKOTA
The University of Minnesota (4-0-3, 0-0-0 B1G) finished its non-conference schedule with an unblemished record after taking out North Dakota 2-0 on Sept. 12, at Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium. Sophomore Maddie Baker scored her first career goal, Makenzie Langdok added an insurance goal and Megan Plaschko secured another clean sheet in the victory over the Fighting Hawks.
"I thought we stepped up today and created a lot of good opportunities," head coach Erin Chastain said. "I don't think we were clean enough in front of goal, certainly we are happy with the shutout and happy that they didn't really have any chances to score. Our backs and goalkeeper were very disciplined today. We are happy to end the non-conference with no losses and no goals against. We fully recognize that we are going to have to kick it up a notch with the Big Ten."
LANGDOK NAMED BIG TEN DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Makenzie Langdok has been named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week for her performances against Omaha and North Dakota this past weekend, as announced by the conference office on Sept. 14.
Langdok, a graduate student studying Special Education, was dynamic for the Gophers this past weekend, scoring her first goal of the season in the 2-0 win over North Dakota while also contributing to back-to-back clean sheets on the defensive side of the field. Langdok was not afraid to step up and take chances on the offensive end during the Gophers 1-0-1 weekend finishing with eight shots, the second most on the team last weekend. Langdok's sixth-career goal sits her atop Minnesota's active leaders in career goals. Defensively Langdok's performance helped extend the Maroon and Gold's clean sheet streak to seven matches to begin the 2021 season, which is the longest in program history and the second longest in Big Ten history to start a season. Minnesota's 4-0-3 record also marked the first time since 2008, and second time in program history, that the team finished undefeated in the non-conference portion of the season.
THE GREAT GOPHER DEFENSE
The Gophers extended their season-opening shutout streak to seven against North Dakota, marking just the second program in Big Ten history that a team posted seven-straight (or more) shutouts to start any season (Rutgers - 2015, 2017). The shutout streak has reached 690-straight minutes for Minnesota to begin the 2021 season. The Wisconsin Badgers achieved this feat prior to the Big Ten began sponsoring women's soccer and Maryland pulled the streak off prior to joining the Big Ten.
SCOUTING WISCONSIN
Wisconsin rolls into Saturday's match with Minnesota coming off two overtime matches last weekend, both in which the Badgers won with a golden goal. Wisconsin has played in four-straight overtime matches, going 2-0-2 in those matches. Offensively Emma Jaskaniec is the leader of the Badger attack with five goals, which is tied for the 39th most in the nation this season. Senior Natalie Viggiano has been Wisconsin's clutch performer this season, being the only individual with multiple game-winning goals. Jordyn Bloomer, who is a returning All-American, has started all eight matches for Wisconsin, making 28 saves and posting four clean sheets against Kansas City, Kansas, Eastern Illinois and Loyola.
Sunday's Border Battle between Minnesota and Wisconsin is the 35th meeting between the rival programs. The Badgers own a 19-13-2 advantage in the history of the series. In the most recent match ended in a 1-1 draw in Minneapolis with Minnesota's goal coming from Abi Frandsen late in the second half. Wisconsin has not lost to Minnesota since 2013 when Haley Helverson, who now is an assistant coach at Drake, scored in double overtime in Madison. The last time the Gophers took down Wisconsin in Minnesota was in 2012.
THE PLASCHKO PRESENCE
Megan Plaschko's individual shutout total reached six with her shutouts of Omaha and North Dakota last week. The junior captain now has 11 clean sheets in her career with her six this season tied for the most in NCAA Division I with Creighton's Keelan Terrell. Plaschko is also one of just four goalkeepers in the country (and the only in the Big Ten) to have a perfect save percentage as well as posting a 0.00 goals against average so far this year. Minnesota's defense is one of just three in the nation this year that has yet to concede a goal with the Gophers joined by Wake Forest and Tennessee.
UNBLEMISHED IN NON-CONFERENCE PLAY
For the first time since the legendary 2008 Gopher squad that reached the NCAA Tournament Third Round Minnesota finished the non-conference portion of its schedule undefeated. The run in the non-conference is just the second time in program history the Gophers had not taken a loss before Big Ten play and did so without allowing a single goal.
A RECORD-BREAKING START TO THE CHASTAIN ERA
The dawn of the Chastain era has been one for the record books in 2021. Erin Chastain, who returned home to Minnesota to lead the Gophers after 14 seasons at DePaul, has kicked off her opening season with a undefeated 4-0-3 start, marking just the fourth women's soccer coach in Big Ten history, and first Minnesota soccer coach, to start her first year undefeated in her first seven matches.
STATISTICAL BREAKDOWN
Nationally the Gophers are, to no surprise, ranked near the top in every statistical category defensively. Additionally the Gophers are ranked seventh in the country in corner kicks per match while also coming in at 35th in shots per match. Minnesota's 8.57 corners per match is the best in the Big Ten while the mark of 19.00 is ranked fifth in the Big Ten in regards to shots per match.
BIG TEN TOUGH
The Big Ten Conference concluded the non-conference schedule with the second-best record among all of the NCAA Division I conferences. The Big Ten finished with a record of 68-23-14, just ahead of the Big East who finished with the third-best record at 50-18-7. The ACC finished with the best record by any conference with a record of 80-16-6. Additional note: The Big 12 still has one week of non-conference play remaining.
UP NEXT
Minnesota continues its Big Ten schedule with a pair of road matches with the first coming against Ohio State (5-3-0, 0-0-0 B1G) on Sept. 23, at 6 p.m. The Gophers will pair that match with a road test against Michigan State (5-0-2, 0-0-0 B1G) on Sept. 26, at 11 a.m. Both matches will be streamed on BTN+.
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