The 2008 Minnesota soccer team did not have a captain. Instead, it had eight seniors who knew how to lead because their entire college career had taught them the merits of hard work and leadership through a four-year upward battle.

The Minnesota soccer team entered Friday’s third-round NCAA game against Notre Dame with all the energy one would expect from a team that has made such great strides with its program. The Gophers just never expected their season to end as ironically and abruptly as it did.

The Minnesota soccer team has already made history, entering the NCAA Sweet 16 for the first time in school history. This weekend the team will attempt another historic victory as it takes on No. 1 overall seed Notre Dame.

Senior forward Lindsey Schwartz said prior to this weekend’s games that the key to first- and second-round NCAA tournament victories for the Minnesota soccer team would be to score early and score often.

The first step to accomplishing any lofty NCAA goals the Minnesota soccer team might have this season will be getting two wins in the first and second rounds of the tournament this weekend.

As the opening rounds of the NCAA women’s soccer tournament get underway this weekend teams will be travelling into the Twin Cities to take on the Gophers, who are appearing in the playoffs for the first time in almost a decade.

The Minnesota soccer team will be among the 64 teams to compete in this year’s NCAA championship, the NCAA Division I Women’s Soccer Committee announced Monday.

Strong play helped the Minnesota women’s soccer team to a good finish in the Big Ten tournament this past weekend, but no championship.

Minnesota will advance to the semifinal round of the Big Ten tournament Friday, though the team’s 3-1 victory Thursday was not earned without a little sweat and tears.