Minnesota shows growth in home opener - 9/22/2024

The Minnesota Golden Gophers held their home opener match Saturday against the Iowa Hawkeyes, in a game with many ups and downs for the home team. 

Minnesota started the Maroon side game with a strong performance, showcasing a dominant and cohesive defensive line, as well as holding the time of possession well. On the defensive side, the Gophers consistently held the Hawkeyes within their own half for the majority of the period, preventing much of Iowa’s offense from moving the ball with any consistency. Offensively, Minnesota kept the Hawkeyes on their heels and held on to the ball with consistent and reliable play from both forwards and backs. However, the Gophers struggled to reach the try zone, with Owen Voice scoring the lone try for Minnesota in the first half. The Hawkeyes saw two tries with one successful conversion in the first half, to see them go up 12-5 at the whistle. Minnesota saw fewer injuries this match, but in the first half, backs Josh Nacker and Marcus Lorenzen both came off the pitch with ankle injuries.

The second half was more challenging for the Gophers, as they struggled to keep up with the Hawkeye’s offensive attack. Iowa’s offense managed four more tries with three successful conversions due to strong performances out of their fullback and wingers. Minnesota struggled offensively, as their defense kept their foot on the pedal until the end of the match. The Hawkeyes held Minnesota to the lone try in the first half, ending the match 38-5. Coach Paul O’Brien says it’s a loss, but he’s focused on seeing players grow and develop as the season is still young.

“We saw tremendous growth as a young team this week,” O’Brien said. “We will travel to Iowa in about a month and we believe we can take this game back for our second matchup.”

The Gophers’ Gold team was a prime example of a growing young team, as they managed a decisive victory against Iowa’s second team. In the first half, the Hawkeyes held a lead through the half as their offensive attack managed a try with a successful conversion and a penalty kick, as opposed to Carter Roth scoring the Gopher’s only try. Although Minnesota had a strong attack and solid defensive line, mistakes prevented them from finishing drives. At the halftime whistle, Iowa led 10-5.

Iowa’s lead did not last long, however, as the Gold team put together an assertive comeback. The Gophers’ defense made a statement, shutting out Iowa in the second half. With that, the offense was able to put their mistakes behind them as they cruised to three tries with two successful conversions. Only one injury interrupted Minnesota’s win, with forward Tyler Church coming off the pitch late in the match with a foot injury. Other than that, the Gold side ended the day happy, with a 24-10 win.

Gopher 23 Man Squad:

Forwards:

Andrew Byrnes, Jacob Kanta, Nate Schramm, Connor Slette, Jack Hardt, Jack Nielsen, Ryan Horejsi, Sam Angell

Substitutes: Jacob Wandersee, Doug Lee, Kaiser Qiu, Haden Witbrod

Backs:

Nick Carver, Sam Dodd,  Dominic Kreiling, Marcus Lorenzen, Josh Nacker, Owen Voice, Tristan Malletroit

Substitutes: Lucas Paschal, Jack Poston, Alex Morton, Thomas Krueger