University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
Northwestern
Minnesota Concludes Regular Season at Northwestern, Purdue
10/18/2023 10:23:00 AM | Soccer
The Golden Gophers face the Wildcats and Boilermakers
Minnesota (6-5-4, 2-4-2 Big Ten) vs Northwestern (8-4-4, 2-4-2 Big Ten)
Date:Â Oct. 19, 2023
Time:Â 7 p.m. CT
Location:Â Evanston, Ill.
Site:Â Lanny and Sharon Martin Stadium
X: @GopherSoccer, @NUWSoccer
Minnesota (6-5-4, 2-4-2 Big Ten) vs Purdue (3-11-2, 0-6-2 Big Ten)
Date:Â Oct. 22, 2023
Time:Â 12 p.m. CT
Location:Â West Lafayette, Ind.
Site:Â Folk Field
X:  @GopherSoccer, @
Scouting Northwestern
Northwestern heads into the weekend fresh off a 2-2 draw at home against the No. 4 Penn State Nittany Lions. Penn State took the initial lead, with Northwestern rallying back, 2-1. The Nittany Lions would tie it before the full 90 was finished. The Wildcats are the only team that has scored more than one goal on the Nittany Lions this season.
For her efforts over the weekend, Northwestern's Ella Hase earned Big Ten Player of the Week accolades. She scored three goals, two of which were against Penn State.
Scouting Purdue
The Boilermakers mark Minnesota's final regular season game of the year. Despite not having a check in the win column in Big Ten play this season, Purdue picked up a point over No. 4 Penn State last Thursday in a 0-0 draw at Folk Field.
Overall, Minnesota leads the all-time series 16-8. The Golden Gophers have won 13 of their last 15 meetings with the Boilermakers.
Last Week Recap
The Maroon and Gold finished their final home weekend at Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium with a win over Ohio State on Thursday and loss to Nebraska on Sunday. Despite the 1-1 final home stand record, Minnesota outshot its opponents 32-18.
Notably, the Golden Gophers have outshot every Big Ten opponent this season except for Wisconsin (11-12) and No. 16 Indiana (7-11).
Leading the Pack
Senior Captain Sophia Boman is leading the Golden Gophers in four notable stat categories. Goals at five (tied with Sophia Romine and Izzy Brown), assists at five, points with 15, and shots at 47.
Boman is also fourth overall in minutes played this season at 1,294, playing a full 90 in every game this season except for three. She is the only current Golden Gopher to play and compete in all 62 matches in her entire career.
Setting Up for Success
Against Illinois, Minnesota came back from a 1-0 deficit to defeat the Fighting Illini, 3-1. Izzy Brown and Sophia Romine each scored, with Megan Nemec assisting all three goals.
Nemec's three assists are the most by any Gopher in a single game since April Bockin (4) vs. Michigan State on Sept. 24, 2017.
Brace for the Best
For the third time in her career at Minnesota, Sophia Romine scored a brace to secure Minnesota's first Big Ten conference win.Â
Romine scored twice against North Dakota (Sept. 4) and Purdue (Oct. 20) last season.Â
For the Record Books
Minnesota's goalkeeper, Megan Plaschko, continues to climb up the ranks in the history books for the Gophers. Her shutouts over No. 16 Indiana on on Oct. 1 and Ohio State on Oct. 12 helped her surpass Lindsey Dare (2005-08) for completed career shutouts (26) and now sits at No. 4.Â
Plaschko currently sits at No. 5 in goalkeeper minutes (5,580:09) and No. 2 in goals-against average (0.88 through 61 games).
