Gophers Ranked 22nd in Preseason Poll; Defeat NDSU 2-1 in OT
The Minnesota Golden Gopher Women’s Soccer team has found itself back in the top 25 schools in the nation in a preseason poll. This is the 4th time the Gophers have made the top 25 in a preseason poll but being ranked in the top echelon of D-I schools is nothing new to the team who seem to find themselves ranked more often than not these days. According to Gophersports.com, the team has been ranked in the top 25 for 12 straight weeks going back to the fall of 2010.
Friday evening, head coach Mikki Denney Wright had the only opportunity of the preseason to test her players out. The Gophers took on a familiar team, North Dakota State, at Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium. Sixteen of the 25 players rostered on NDSU are from Minnesota. Eighteen of the Gophers’ 20 players are also from Minnesota. The familiarity of the players usually makes a very competitive match between these two teams and that was true again Friday night, regardless if it was just a preseason friendly.
The U of M defeated the Bison 2-1 with a overtime victory. Jolie Solie ( Sr.- Mahtomedi, Minn.) broke the deadlock in the 11oth minute scoring on a cross from Olivia Bagnall (Jr. – Lakeville, Minn.)
North Dakota State got on the board first in the 31st minute with a goal from a pair of Minnesotans. Holly Christian (Jr. – Apple Valley, Minn.) scored for the Bison assisted by Abbey Moenkedick (Sr. – Champlin, Minn.)
Minnesota drew the game even in the 68th minute when Shari Eckstrom (Sr. – Brooklyn Park, Minn.) scored with an assist from Steph Brandt (So. – Rochester, Minn.)
The Golden Gophers outshot the Bison 14-6 with seven shots on goal.
Minnesota will now travel to Maryland to play the number 6 ranked Terrapins next Friday, August 19.
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