After a pair of road wins over Milwaukee and Marquette, the University of Minnesota soccer team returns home to Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium this week. The Golden Gophers host Army on Thursday and Brown on Sunday.
Minnesota (4-0-0, 0-0-0 B1G) vs Army (5-1-0, 0-0-0 Patriot League)
Date: Sept. 5, 2024
Time: 7 p.m. CT
Stream: B1G+
Location: Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium
Minnesota (4-0-0, 0-0-0 B1G) vs Brown (0-1-2, 0-0-0 Ivy League)
Date: Sept. 8, 2024
Time: 1 p.m. CT
Stream: B1G+
Location: Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium
Scouting the Black Knights
The Black Knights travel to Dinkytown after posting a 5-1 record, seating them atop the Patriot League standings. Since opening weekend, a Black Knight has won each of the five weekly Patriot League awards. On Monday, Cami Silvestro was recognized as Midfielder of the week alongside teammate Keira Vesy who earned Defensive Player of the Week.
Currently riding a five game win-streak, they are 11-1-1 in their last 13 games. Head Coach Tracy Chao entered her fifth season at the helm of the program and has led the Black Knights to win the Patriot League in 2022 and 2023.
Scouting the Bears
The Brown Bears have yet to be in the win column this season, but look to turn things around on Thursday against Central Connecticut State. Despite a winless record, the Bears have collected two 1-1 draws against Hosftra and Indiana. Brown’s goal scorers include seniors Kira Maguire and Maiya Grant-Clavijo.
Last Time Out
The last time the Gophers and Black Knights competed was at a neutral site game in 2006. Minnesota defeated Army 1-0 in Providence, Rhode Island.
The Gophers are undefeated against the Bears with a 1-0-1 all-time record. In 2006, the match went to double overtime for a 2-2 draw. Two years later, Brown lost to Minnesota at ELR 2-0.
Minnesota at the Top
Head coach Erin Chastain and the Gophers are off to their best start since 2022. Minnesota opened its first four games going 2-0-2 during Chastain’s second season leading her alma mater.
The 4-0-0 start sits Minnesota atop the league standings, making them the last undefeated team in the Big Ten.
Setting the Standard
Minnesota is the only school in the country that features four consecutive games with three multi-goal scorers. Redshirt freshman Caroline Birdsell scored her first brace against Creighton. Harper secured back-to-back hat tricks at St. Thomas and Milwaukee. Sophia Romine scored against St. Thomas and finished a brace at Marquette.
Her Name on the National Stage
After an undefeated weekend in Milwaukee, senior forward Khyah Harper has been named to the Top Drawer Soccer National Team of the Week, the publication announced on Tuesday.
Harper capped off her second hat trick of the season against Milwaukee on Thursday night. Scoring the 80th minute game winner. On Sunday at Marquette, she assisted one of Sophia Romine’s goals to complete the win over the Golden Eagles and weekend sweep.
Just Call Her Hat Trick Harper
Following an epic win at Milwaukee, Harper became the first Gopher to finish back-to-back hat tricks since Laurie Seidl. Seidl scored hat tricks against Wisconsin Green Bay (Sept. 11, 1998) and Purdue (Sept. 13, 1998).
Harper is also the third Gopher ever to tab the record. Gretchen Brandt was the first, scoring back-to-back hat tricks against Macalester (Sept. 7, 1993) and Northern Illinois (Sept. 11, 1993).
Anywhere. Anytime. Any Place.
In its win at Engelmann Stadium, the University of Minnesota soccer team became the seventh team to beat the Panthers at home since the 2015 season. The Gophers handed head coach Kevin Boyd his second loss at home since taking over in 2021.
(info and stock photo courtesy of Gopher Sports)
