WSOC continues Big Ten swing at Minnesota on Thursday

Weekly Notes (PDF)

MILWAUKEE – Coming off its first victory of the season, the Marquette University women's soccer team continues its non-conference schedule with matches this week at Minnesota on Thursday and at home contest against Utah State on Sunday afternoon.

The Golden Eagles will face the Gophers at Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium in Minneapolis on Sept. 5 at 7 p.m. in a game broadcast live by BTN+. Live stats will also be available, courtesy of GopherSports.com.

MU returns to Valley Fields on Sunday to welcome Utah State to Milwaukee for the first time in program history. Live streaming video will be available through GoMarquette.com, as will live statistics. The match also features the return of the always popular petting zoo at the east end of the Valley Fields bleachers.

Marquette is 1-4-1 all-time against Minnesota, with the lone victory coming in Milwaukee, 1-0, on Sept. 13, 2009. MU dropped its two most recent meetings in 2014 and 2015 by 1-0 and 2-1 margins, respectively.

Following this week's matches, Marquette is off until a Sunday, Sept. 15 showdown against cross-town foe Milwaukee at 7 p.m.

MARQUETTE (1-3-0): The Golden Eagles picked up their first win of the season on Sunday, Sept. 1, courtesy of Kylie Sprecher's 108th minute goal in double overtime … Sprecher's score was MU's first goal of the year, ending a stretch of 379:36 to start the year without a tally … MU started the 2018 season 0-5-1 and didn't pick up its first victory until Sept. 9 at Drake … Marquette's starting lineup has featured three freshmen in defenders Addie Shock and Josie Kelderman along with midfielder Alex Campana … Junior Elaina Eckert earned her first career start on Sunday against Michigan … Goalkeeper Maddy Henry made 10 saves in the lid-lifter against the Rams to become MU's all-time saves leader … She was named the BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Week on Monday, Sept. 2.

MINNESOTA (0-2-2): The Gophers have played a challenging slate to start the year but are winless through four games, including draws with UC Santa Barbara and Arkansas … Most recently, Minnesota fell at Mississippi, 3-2, in the 109th minute … Nikki Albrecht, Celina Nummerdor and Athena Kuehn all earned preseason Big Ten honors and the Gophers were picked sixth in the league's preseason coaches' poll … Minnesota claimed the 2018 Big Ten Tournament crown by toppling then-No. 15 Penn State in penalty kicks … The Gophers advanced to the NCAA second round before falling at No. 4 UCLA.

UTAH STATE (1-2-0): The Aggies host Weber State on Wednesday afternoon before making the trek to Milwaukee for Sunday's matinee … USU begins the season with six of its first seven matches away from home and 10 of its first 12 stretching into the middle of conference play … Like MU, Utah State has posted just one goal on the season in its 1-0 victory over South Dakota on Aug. 25 … Most recently, the Aggies fell 3-0 at Utah on Aug. 30 … Head coach Heather Cairns is in her 17th season coaching in Logan.

WHAT THEY ARE SAYING…
"Kylie (Sprecher) had that one chance against Wisconsin in overtime and for her to be on the end of that ball and bury it they way she did, I can't be happier for her with what she's been through. Being out for about 16 months and having a season last year where she never was 100 percent healthy and then surgery after. These are all things that hopefully can give us a lift going forward. It wasn't the start we looked for at 0-3 but getting that win under our belt against a good team like Michigan is really important." – MU head coach Markus Roeders on the win over Michigan

"I think this Michigan win is exactly what we needed heading into this weekend. Minnesota is another big program that is going to bring a lot of challenges but a lot of similar styles to Michigan and Wisconsin. We are excited and I think we needed a win to stoke the flame a little bit. I love that we can play at home again on Sunday – nothing beats that." – senior goalkeeper Maddy Henry

"It's great because it's a fresh part of our backline and they both have things that they bring that are new and different from what we've had in the past. It's actually really exciting. Obviously Bri (Jaeger) and I have that connection on the left side and we like to think we're strong and steady there, but they're bringing something new that is great and getting better every game." – senior defender Emily Hess on starting freshmen defenders Josie Kelderman and Addie Shock

SPRECHER LOOKING FOR BOUNCEBACK CAMPAIGN
• Forward Kylie Sprecher had a standout campaign as a first-year player in 2017 and is one of many Golden Eagles looking to bounce back to form after an injury-plagued 2018. The junior scored Marquette's first goal of 2019 on Sept. 1 to lift the MU past Michigan, 1-0, in the 108th minute. It was her first goal since her only goal last season against No. 4 Georgetown on Oct. 18, 2018. Sprecher led Marquette with six assists and three goals as a BIG EAST All-Freshman selection in 2017.

HENRY IS MARQUETTE'S CAREER SAVES LEADER
• Senior goalkeeper Maddy Henry was chosen as the BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Week on Sept. 2 after posting 10 saves in MU's 1-0 double overtime victory over Michigan on Sept. 1. Including the 1-0 OT loss at Wisconsin, she posted 15 saves, a 0.45 goals against average and a save percentage of .938 in 199:36.

• Henry enters her fourth season as a full-time starter in 2019 and became MU's all-time saves leader against Colorado State on Aug. 22 with 10 stops. She now has 313 in 65 career games and passed Mo Bothwell (288 saves, 1997-00) to move into the top spot. The Omaha, Nebraska native entered her final campaign ranked fifth all-time in minutes played (5,605:30) and eighth goals against (1.25). She also sat second in saves per match (4.68), fifth in save percentage (.786), sixth in career victories (29) and fifth in shutouts (19).

2019 SCHEDULE HIGHLIGHTS
• The Golden Eagles begin the year with their first three regular season contests on the road before commencing their home slate against Michigan on Sept. 1.

• Against common non-conference opponents from last season, MU went 1-2 in 2018 with a win over Milwaukee and losses to Wisconsin and Michigan.

• MU plays a rare non-conference home-and-home series with Colorado State. The Golden Eagles face the Rams in the season lid-lifter on Aug. 22 and welcome them to Milwaukee for a Sunday, Sept. 22 matinee.