Jan. 30, 2012

The University of Minnesota women’s soccer team announced its 2012 spring schedule, and the Golden Gophers are set to compete in six matches, including three matches against opponents that reached the NCAA Tournament this past fall. The Maroon and Gold will also host the second annual Gopher 7’s Competition.

The Gophers finished the 2011 campaign with a 9-10-2 record and return 16 players, nine of which played over 1,000 minutes each. Minnesota also returns fifth-year senior Tamara Strahota, who sat out all of 2011, due to a leg injury that she suffered prior to beginning of the season.

Minnesota kicks off their spring schedule hosting the second annual Gopher 7’s competition at the Bierman Indoor Field. Six teams will be joining the Gophers on February 26 for the event, including Drake, MSU-Mankato, North Dakota, Northern Iowa, St. Cloud State and South Dakota.

The Gophers return from Spring Break for the annual Big 10/Big 12 Spring Challenge on April 15, which will be hosted by the University of Iowa. The Maroon and Gold will first meet an Iowa State squad that went 9-9-1 last fall and finished eighth in the Big 12. The Gophers then turn around and face Kansas, who went 11-9-1 and qualified for the NCAA Tournament.

Minnesota remains on the road as they head to Chippewa Falls, Wis. for the spring version of the Gopher-Badger Border Battle. The Gophers ended Wisconsin’s season this past fall with a 2-0 victory in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament. The Badgers finished the 2011 season with a 10-7-3 record. The match will take place at Dorais Field at Chippewa Falls High School on April 20.

On April 22, the Gophers return to Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium for their lone home contest of the spring. They will welcome Nebraska (7-10-1 in 2011) back to ELR Stadium after thumping the Huskers 6-3 back on October 28 in the final regular season match of the 2011 season.

The Maroon and Gold close out the spring schedule with a trip to Madison, Wis. for a pair of matches in the Wisco Spring Tournament on April 28. Minnesota will first face UW-Milwaukee, who defeated the Gophers 1-0 this past season at ELR Stadium during the Minnesota Gold Classic. Minnesota’s last match of the spring schedule will be against Marquette. Both the Panthers (19-3-0 in 2011) and the Golden Eagles (18-4-0 in 2011) reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament this past year and finished ranked in the NSCAA Top 25.

Continue checking Gophersports.com for more coverage of the 2011 Minnesota women's soccer spring season.