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Author: Matt Privratsky
(Photo: Jeremy Olson)
It is finally college soccer time, once again, baby! This Thursday, the University of Minnesota Gopher Soccer program kicks off its 2024 season in an expanded Big Ten Conference by welcoming Creighton to Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium to open up non-conference play. So what should we be watching for as the Gophers kickoff their fourth year under Head Coach Erin Chastain? Let’s jump in.
Quick Refresher on the 2023 Season If you didn’t follow the Gopher’s season last fall super closely, here is the way I summarized it: “The Gopher Soccer staff will tell you that they’ve been leveling up the complexity of their style of play each year in the Erin Chastain era. Opposing coaches (often unprompted) regularly told me the same thing during my prep calls for home Gopher broadcasts. And the numbers do seem to back up those claims. Passing, possession, and expected goals (xG, roughly represents the quality of chances being created) all had a noticeable jump in 2023 compared to the teams’ first two years. 
By the eye test, I’d say last fall was a mixture of progress and, in part due to rightfully increased expectations, some disappointment. If you go back and listen to the sheer excitement and optimism from training camp interviews about the attacking potential of this group, it was palpable. Now, they were still very stout defensively even with a bit more backline rotation than you might typically see. Elizabeth Overberg, Abi Frandsen, and impact grad transfer Jordy Rothwell were stalwarts at three spots while Freshman Taylor Heimerl saw some time, Jelena Zbijlic had good stints, and Fiona Skwierofski eventually landed at left back. Overall, what seems clear from Head Coach Erin Chastain is that she is building for the long term. She is not willing to overly leverage her stout defense into a park the bus strategy. Nor is she willing to take a struggle for scoring as a signal that the team should just play direct and chuck more chances at the goal blindly. She envisions a team that can be stout defensively (like we’ve already seen) *and* create and convert scoring chances at a high level.” What to Watch for in 2024 First, what kind of scoring output do we get from the forward line? Things have been a bit lean in terms of overall scoring the last few years. In 2023 (Sophia Romine), 2022 (Gabbie Cesarone), and 2021 (Izzy Brown) the leading goal scorer for Minnesota put up only 6 goals. And in only one of those years was the leading goal scorer a forward (Brown). In fact, Minnesota hasn’t had a double digit goal scorer since April Bockin in her electric 2018 season.
This year, there are a handful of Gophers I could see cracking that half dozen threshold (Birdsell, Harper, Boman, Romine, etc) and both Birdsell and Harper could threaten to break the double digit streak, as well (more on that later, but buy your Caroline Birdsell stock *now*...trust me...). In the exhibitions, the potential has clearly been there. The team isn’t even fully locked-in yet and, already, you can see some real real danger from the front six. Can they use the non-conference to really lock in some chemistry before a *ridiculously hard* Big Ten campaign…? We’ll see. Next, can the defensive live up to their established standard? Last year, the Gophers allowed less than a goal a game. That is STOUT. But there will be a new starting keeper with Megan Plaschko departing for a grad year at TCU and at least one new starter on the backline with grad transfer Jordy Rothwell having used up her eligibility. Long time stalwart and new Captain Elizabeth Overberg will have to step up to be the clearcut leader there after two seasons next to standout grad transfers (Cesarone, Rothwell). And the new keeper will have to find a way to mesh well with the new defensive unit, as well. Unfortunately, the team didn’t really face any real threats during exhibition play. So the first real signal we'll get won't come until the Gophers kickoff against Creighton on Thursday at 7PM, and maybe even deeper into non-conference play when tougher opponents like Milwaukee and Brown show up (though Creighton, Marquette, and Army are also top 150 RPI teams from a year ago).
Sunshine & Rainbows Predictions The Gophers got picked to finish 14th in the new 18 team Big Ten Conference in 2024. I'd say if things go only sorta okay for Minnesota this fall, it's possible they finish that low. If things go pretty well, I'd say they can crack the conference tournament field (top 10). If things to *really* well, I think there's a chance they sneak into the top 6 and get a first round bye. (Bracket below only an example of how a 10 team tournament field might be formatted) 
For that optimistic, "sunshine and rainbows" scenario to take place, my money says most/all of these things took place:
No single bullet on that list is unreasonable as a goal. And, honestly, I think most of these are pretty solid bets (1, 4, 5 in particular). But let’s just say: if *all of them* happen, this fall is going to be super super fun.
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Can't make it to the Gopher home games this year? Catch me doing play by play for Gopher Soccer home games on Big Ten Plus alongside former Gopher Mary Kasper again this fall.
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