After a week of both team and individual recognition, the Minnesota Gophers traveled to Indiana to face off against Indiana University and Purdue. They return home with two wins and two clean sheets.
Going into the second week of Big Ten conference play, the team’s ears were burning. The NSCAA ranked the team ninth — the fourth-straight week in the top ten and tying the team for the highest season and program ranking — and the first RPI ranking of the year put Minnesota at 23rd. Additionally, Simone Kolander and Tarah Hobbs each received individual accolades for the Big Ten offensive player of the week and defensive player of the week, respectively. The team lived up to the high expectations by shutting out both the Hoosiers and the Boilermakers.
Friday
In their first match of the weekend, Minnesota started Nikki Albrecht, Rashida Beal, April Bockin, Tori Burnett, Molly Fiedler, Maddie Gaffney, Emily Heslin, Tarah Hobbs, Simone Kolander, Kellie McGahn, and Josee Stiever.
Throughout the game, the Gophers dominated play, outshooting the Hoosiers nearly 4:1. The first goal of the match came in the 43rd minute when freshman Albrecht headed in a Josee Stiever corner kick — one of the five corner kicks the Gophers were awarded. This is Albrecht’s second goal of the season.
WATCH: Nikki Albrecht with the first goal of the game ????https://t.co/r1JFuK6zlP
— Minnesota Soccer (@GopherSoccer) September 23, 2016
A few minutes later, the teams would head to the locker rooms with the Gophers up 1-0.
In the 65th minute, Bockin picked up a loose ball just inside the 18-yard box and blasted it between two Indiana defenders and the keeper, bringing her season tally to six.
WATCH: April Bockin scoring her 6th goal of the season against Indiana. ????https://t.co/kVh3gS4OJH
— Minnesota Soccer (@GopherSoccer) September 24, 2016
Thirteen minutes later, Megan Koenig found Sydney Squires in front of the net. Squires took no time in burying it right where Bockin had and extending the lead 3-0.
WATCH: Sydney Squires extending the lead over Indiana! ????https://t.co/X1cbv9CJQe
— Minnesota Soccer (@GopherSoccer) September 24, 2016
The Hoosiers were able to place just one shot on goal during the entire match, in the 89th minute. Hobbs was able to grab it to record both a save and another clean sheet. Final score: 3-0.
This win brought the Gophers’ all-time record against the Hoosiers to 16-8-1.
Sunday
The same starting XI took to Folk Field against Purdue Sunday afternoon.
The first half of the match started out slow for both sides, with neither team creating serious chances. The Gophers led the possession and got in three shots, but returned to the locker room even and scoreless at the half.
Both teams emerged energized for the second half, but Minnesota took the upper hand.
In the 61st minute, Julianna Gernes passed the ball to Steiver, who took a solid shot on goal. Purdue’s Jordan Ginther blocked the shot with her knee and the ball rebounded out for Steiver to pick up just inside the six-yard box and slot it in, putting the Gophers on the scoreboard.
WATCH: @joseestiever's 5⃣ goal of the season. ????https://t.co/i5qXpiPPxT
— Minnesota Soccer (@GopherSoccer) September 25, 2016
Fifteen minutes later, Bockin would blast the ball on goal, only to be denied by the keeper. She had another opportunity in the 76th minute, when Kolander passed her the ball inside the 18-yard box and she chipped it in over the goalie’s head for her seventh goal of the season.
WATCH: @Abockin23 helps the #Gophers get a 2-0 lead. ????https://t.co/tYo3dp8LSx
— Minnesota Soccer (@GopherSoccer) September 25, 2016
Hobbs tallied one save against Purdue in the shutout. Final score: 2-0 Gophers.
This win broke the tie between the two teams in the all-time record with Minnesota now 10-9-0 against Purdue.
The two wins this weekend improved the Gophers’ record to 9-2-1 (3-0-1) for the season.
Up next
The Gophers return home to Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium for three games in nine days. They’ll host Wisconsin on Saturday, October 1 at 5:30 p.m, Iowa on Thursday, October 6 at 7 p.m., and Nebraska on Sunday, October 9 at 2 p.m.
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