The Golden Gophers return home this Friday to face Northwestern under the lights at Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium for another Big Ten Conference match up. Kick off is set for 7 p.m. CT and can be streamed live on B1G+.
Minnesota (8-2-2, 2-2-1 B1G) vs Northwestern (5-6-2, 0-4-1 B1G)
Date: Oct. 4
Time: 7 p.m. CT
Location: Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium
Scouting the Wildcats
So far this season, Northwestern is 5-6-2 and 0-4-1 in Big Ten play. The Wildcats have dropped losses against Purdue, No. 9 Penn State, No. 17 Ohio State, and No. 18 Iowa. Prior to conference play, Northwestern picked up a top 25 win over No. 21 Virginia Tech in Evanston.
Freshman Kennedy Roesch leads Northwestern with four goals and one assist, totaling nine points. Graduate student Josie Aulicino also has nine points, finishing three goals and assisting three others.
Last month, following back-to-back shutout wins over Illinois State and the 24th-ranked Hokies, the Wildcats took home two Big Ten Weekly awards. Emma Phillips was named Defensive Player of the Week and Reiley Fitzpatrick earned Goalkeeper of the Week.
Last Time Out
In 2023, the Gophers traveled to Evanston for their second to last Big Ten game. A lot was on the line, Minnesota had to beat both Northwestern and Purdue in order to advance to the 2023 Big Ten Tournament. The Wildcats defeated the Gophers, 3-0 at Lanny and Sharon Martin Stadium.
A Crucial Road Point
Last week, Minnesota traveled to the West Coast to compete against two new Big Ten opponents: No. 24 USC and UCLA. Against USC, the Gophers came back and rallied in the second half, scoring two goals and tying the 24th-ranked Trojans. Khyah Harper scored first as Sophia Boman had the game-tying goal. The tie marked the first result against a ranked opponent since Minnesota tied No. 8 Rutgers, 2-2, in 2022.
On Sunday, the Gophers battled until the end against the Bruins. UCLA took a 1-0 lead in the first half. The match was highlighted by Kate Childers, who scored her first career goal to tie the game. The Bruins retook the lead, scoring two goals in the final 20 minutes.
Spreading the Wealth
11 Gophers have recorded at least one point this season, including all starters except for goalkeeper Sarah Martin. Minnesota’s backline in Elizabeth Overberg, Ashley Thurk, and Jelena Zbiljic have all recorded an assist. Center back Kate Childers leads the backline with two points, following her first career goal she scored against UCLA on Sunday. All of Minnesota’s starters on offense have at least four points. Harper leads the way with 29 while Sophia Romine has nine so far.
On the Road Again
Friday’s game at home breaks up the Gophers’ travel schedule. Following this week, Minnesota looks ahead for another road trip at No. 7 Ohio State and No. 19 Penn State. The Maroon and Gold’s schedule is still recognized as one of the toughest, with the latest RPI rankings having them come in at No. 45.
She’s Just Living that Life
Khyah Harper continues to lead the nation in multiple stat categories. Harper ranks first in goals per game (1.08), points per game (2.42), and total goals (13), tied with California’s Karlie Lema. She’s seated second nationally in game-winning goals (5) and total points (29).
Milestone Hit
Erin Chastain hit a career milestone in the Gophers’ win over the Wolverines: 150 career victories. Chastain began her head coaching career at DePaul in 2007. While leading the Blue Demons, Chastain compiled a 119-113-34 record. She led DePaul to two NCAA Tournament appearances in 2013 and 2014.
Minute by Minute
Graduate captain Sophia Boman has totaled 6,911:32 minutes in her career as a Gopher. Currently, the midfielder has 23 consecutive matches (dating back to last season) that she has competed for a full 90 minutes. The Minnesota native has started all 77 matches since her freshman season and has competed in every game fully except for nine. In total, Boman has only missed 154 minutes on the field.
Rock the Robbie
Friday’s game is the annual Rock the Robbie match. Tickets start at $7.50 and don’t miss out on the $12.50 Soccer Ticket and Scarf Package!
(info and photo courtesy of Gopher Sports)
