Here we are at Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium on a wet, windy, and chilly night. Temperatures will be in the high 30s, dropping as time passes. The Northwestern Wildcats look like a rambuncious bunch warming up on the visitors’ side of the field. The Gophers, on the opposing side seem poised and prepared to compete.
Edwards, Herczeg, Parish, Baumann, Rubnitz, Palo, Langston, Sampson, Jakes, Westlund, and Greene to get the start for the Wildcats. Player to Watch: Alicia Herczeg leading scorer
Bethke, Rouse, Eckstrom, Solie, Bagnall, Olson, Strahota, Rezac, Kallman, Clark, and Parkhill to start for the home Golden Gophers. Player to Watch: Katie Bethke looking to break a scoring drought
A little technically difficulties during the national anthem hopefully not a bad omen for the Golden Gophers, who are looking for their first win in four conference games.
And here is live soccer from Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium. Early cross from Minnesota coralled by Edwards.
42:30 Minnesota continually in Northwestern’s defensive third
40:45 Bethke’s flick just a bit too far for Eckstrom.
37:30 First corner of the game taken by Bethke.. Leads to another corner… and another
Nothing comes of three consecutive corner kicks for the Gophers
33:55 Kallman breaks up a fast break for the Wildcats
33:30 Confrontation on the sidelines over who gets the throw in… goes to the Gophers
32:20 Wildcat throwin into the box, the danger avoided by the Gopher defense
30:12 Play has slowed down and become slightly sloppy here
25:15 Shot block by Clark, the threat avoided goal kick Gophers
23:05 Corner kick for Northwestern cleared by Minnesota
21:34 Dagley in for Northwestern, Price in for Olson for the Gophers
20:37 Bethke to Rezac, goalie takes it easily wide right of the goal
19:33 Corner kick for Northwestern, played short to Parish… another corner for the Wildcats
18:55 Weitz takes it for NW played short to Parish again scrum in front of the net, Gophers clear
16:56 Antas enter for Sampson for NW
14:50 Price helps avoid danger down the left side throw in Gophers
13:12 Herczeg with a shot on goal , Parkhill the save
9:20 Price through ball into the box, no Gophers to receive the pass though
8:22 Bethke hustles to draw a corner kick for Minnesota… Eckstrom to the middle nothing doing for the Gophs
5:50 Schneeman and Bertamus in for Rubin and Duller for NW
5:05 Rezac with a shot on goal from the right side easy save for Edwards
4:15 Herczeg with a brilliant strike from the top of the box… but it hits the cross bar bounces straight down and the Gophers clear
3:45 Three subs in for Minnesota
1:50 Corner for NW Greene to take over the top of the goal
:33 A flick on goal for the Gophers by Rezac easy save though
Halftime horn sounds and its a scoreless game between the Gophers and Wildcats. The Gophers still looking for some sort of offense. Northwestern definitely had the best chance on goal with Herczeg making an effort that struck the crossbar, and nearly crossed the line for a goal before the Minnesota defense could clear.
Olson, Rezac, Eckstrom, Strahota, Kallman, Rouse, Solie, Parkhill, Bagnall, Bethke, Clark to start the half for the Gophers
43:40 Minnesota in NW third to start the half no chances on net however
42:18 Rezac gos to the ground, hobbles up and limps up the field, looks like she’ll shake it off
41:32 Dangerous through ball for NW Parkhill grabs the ball to stop the danger
40:30 Eckstrom with an effort inside the box goes wide to the left, the Gophers best chance thus far in the match
36:55 Throw in deep in the NW zone leads to a Gopher corner kick
36:18 Nothing comes from the corner Bethke a weak effort on goal easy save for Edwards
34:30 The rain begins to fall a little harder on the field now, center third of the field features most of the play right now
30:58 Bethke was working hard down the right side, attempted to cross the ball.. goalkick to NW
30:14 Corner to Minnesota… Bethke to take the kick… Rouse with a squibber wide
27:55 Corner kick by Bethke…. cleared by NW
26:45 Corner for Minnesota again… Bethke again line drive into the box nothing doing for the Gophers again… great service by Bethke but nobody seems to be able to capitalize in the box
24:50 Langston substituting for Palo, Bertamus for Dagley for NW
24:03 Hard foul by NW doesn’t draw a booking from the referee
23:11 Duller substituting for Schneeman for NW
21:58 Eckstrom with a poor through ball no one there
21:35 Herczeg again with a quick strike from the top of the box just wide to the left it was a brilliant turn from the senior and a good chance for the Wildcats
20:00 The rain is swirling in the wind… tough conditions for anyone to play conmfortably in
19:30 Corner kick for the Gophers once again Bethke to service…. Nothing doing…
17:15 Play stuck in the middle third again for both teams… Frustrating conditions
16:00 Spectacular flick to Strahota in the box, blocked by a defender on the line, a scramble ensued Bethke and Eckstrom also had shots blocked by defenders, the Gophers best chance so far
15:31 Antas substituting for Sampson for NW
13:25 Northwestern with a cross into the box, comes to nothing
12:30 Antas with a pooch caught the wrong side of the ball, goes out for a goal kick
10:00 Strahota with a run and effort on net, no real challenge goes wide left of the goal
8:57 Free kick just outside the box for the Gophers, played short and nothing doing
8:00 Deflection gets to the goalie Gophers with more pressure on the box
6:05 Rezac makes a run from a through ball gets tripped up by Edwards no call
5:50 NW subs: Sampson for Antas, Palo for Bertamus
4:30 A cross from Eckstrom gets tipped by a NW defender and into the arms of Edwards
3:25 Corner kick… Served by Bethke… Tipped away by the defense
2:00 Subs: Dagley for Langston for NW No pressure recently from Northwestern… Minnesota keeping in the attacking third but getting few good chances
Another scoreless half which means… EXTRA SOCCER Northwestern had another great chance from Herczeg but besides that the Wildcats didn’t have much aronud the box… The Gophers meanwhile spent a majority of the half in the attacking third with a few good chances but could just not capitalize…the Northwestern fans are getting pretty riled up by their players… Hard to come by fan enthusiasm in this cold windy rain
10:00 Overtime begins….
9:04 Goal kick for Minnesota
8:25 Eckstrom with a physical run to draw a corner kick… once again nothing for the Gophers
7:45 Shot on goal by Bethke… save by Edwards
7:00 Subs: Greene for Bertamus for NW
5:30 Sloppy defense leads to a chance on goal by Baumann, Parkhill grabs the ball out of the air to stop a header
2:55 Rezac draws a foul just outside the box… Free kick to Minnesota Bethke takes the kick deflected by Kallman (knee or thigh) into the back of the net in the 98th minute
GOPHERS WIN 1-0 in the First overtime period what a thrilling finish to a physically challenging game