Gophers Finish Out Last Home Game in Style and Snow

With horrible weather conditions that saw temperatures hovering around 40°F, wet snow, and wind gusts up to 20 mph, the Gophers women’s soccer team (17-2-0), had to wait until the 2nd half to close out their last home game on a high note as they beat Northwestern (9-8-1), 2-0. 

The first half saw the Gophers with plenty of chances but nothing to show for it. The wind was blowing across the width of the field but slightly towards the Northwestern Wildcat goal. With that, much of the play seemed to be on the Gophers’ left flank which was also the windward side of the field.  The Gophers put in a multitude of crosses but often saw them thwarted as Wildcat keeper Carolyn Edwards, did excellent work coming out of her goal to shut down throughballs and parry crosses. Perhaps the best chance of the half saw Katie Shelander receive a ball from the left side of the field and with her back to the goal Shelander turned her defender, created space but whiffed on the shot. Watching the replay, I wondered if the wind didn’t carry the ball away from her foot. Coach Mikki Denney Wright said as much as she was interviewed for the Big Ten Network. “We can’t get it (the ball) across the box with the wind. Were having problems with our shots because of the wind”, said Wright.  ”We have to make our shots count, we have to finish.” 

The Gophers led in all stats at half time except for score. The U of M Women led Northwestern with 8 corner kicks to 0 and 6 shots to 2. They also led shots on goal, 3-1.

In the 67th minute, freshman forward, Tamara Strahota, warmed the brave but shivering fans who took in the game, by taking things into her own hands and disrupting a Northwestern pass. She then turned the ball, dribbled through two defenders and went on a 30 yard run with two defenders in pursuit. Strahota  turned her hips toward goal and when the Wildcats keeper went down to block Strahota, she calmly chipped Edwards and lofted the ball into the goal. 

Then nine minutes later, at the 76 minute mark, Clare Grimwood, who scored and assisted on Friday evening against the Badgers, tallied again for the Gophers. The play started with Lindsey Schwartz dribbling down the left side of the Wildcats half. Schwartz passed diagonally forward to her right, where Strahota was making a run down the middle of the field. With a defender in front of her, Strahota had the vision to see midfielder Grimwood off to her right. Without looking, Strahota dummied the ball behind her to Grimwood who took a touch and made no mistake from the right of the goal-box. The goal gave Minnesota the insurance they needed to finish the game off. 

The Gophers play their last Big Ten regular season game in Iowa City next Friday evening at 7:00 p.m. against the Hawkeyes. The Gophers are now 16- 2-0, 6-2-0 in conference play and alone in 2nd place with 18 pts, but trailing Pen State who lead with 21 pts.  Pen State play Ohio State (4- 4- 0) next weekend at home. The Gophers are trailed by Purdue with 17 points, just 1 short of the Gophers. The Boilermakers play Illinois (3- 5- 0) away next weekend. 

The following week, November 6th – 9th, and again in Iowa City, the Gophers head into the Big Ten Tournament. 

(Game Report) (Box Score)

(Listen to Clare Grimwood explain her goals both Friday night and on Sunday)

(Listen to freshman forward Tamara Strahota, tell us about her goal,

and what the Gophers will do to prepare for Iowa)