Sitting in the Union Sports Annex on Marquette's campus immediately after learning that the women's soccer team had earned a berth in the NCAA Tournament, junior forward Anna Sawicki struggled to describe what the accomplishment meant.

"I kind of think back to my freshman year when we did make (the tournament), and I think that tonight meant a little bit more because I'm older," she said Monday. "Last year we didn't make it, so that just makes this year even more special. The sophomores, the freshmen, obviously don't know what it's like yet, but it's pretty exciting."

In all, only 12 members of this Golden Eagles' squad remember what that last NCAA Tournament berth felt like. Most others know only the disappointment of last season's perceived snub.

But Marquette did just enough this year, even after it was eliminated in the Big East Tournament semifinals by No. 1 Notre Dame last Friday. The reward is a match against Minnesota (20-3-0, 8-2-0 Big Ten) in Minneapolis Friday at 6 p.m.

Minnesota won a share of the Big Ten regular season title, and advanced to the championship game of the conference tournament before losing a 2-1 decision to Penn State. The Golden Gophers' 20 wins set a single season school record.

"I guess you could say we are the underdog," freshman goalkeeper Natalie Kulla said. "We like it. I think we play better in that role, whether that's good or bad."

Minnesota has played well at home this season, sporting an unblemished 10-0-0 record at Elizabeth Lyle Robbie Stadium.

The Golden Gophers have four players that would lead Marquette in scoring – seniors Lindsey Schwartz (seven goals, six assists) and Kaitlin Wagner (six goals, five assists), freshman Tamara Strahota (five goals, three assists) and sophomore Molly Rouse (three goals, seven assists).

The fact that Marquette will be missing its leading scorer, forward Ashley Bares, won't help much either. The sophomore has five goals and two assists for the Golden Eagles this season but was lost to a shin injury in practice before the semifinal loss to Notre Dame.

"The goal scoring is going to be one of those things that has to happen by committee, which is really no different than what we've had all season," coach Markus Roeders said. "Ashley kind of stepped up in the later part of the year and scored some crucial goals for us, but our belief has always been that once one door closes one more opens."

The Golden Gophers would also appear to have a bit of advantage in goal, where they will start senior goalkeeper Lindsey Dare. Dare sports a 0.43 goals against average and a 85.1 save percentage this season.

Of course Marquette isn't exactly hurting in goal. Kulla is coming off one of her best games of the season against Notre Dame (90 minutes, nine saves) and has a 0.82 GAA and an 80.9 save percentage this season.

Roeders said being a perceived underdog against Minnesota is of little concern to a Marquette team that appeared to be a long shot just to receive NCAA Tournament consideration a few weeks ago.

"All these girls are really eager to make a statement," he said. "If it is a really true collective effort by the entire squad like we had against Rutgers, I think it will be very difficult to beat us, and it doesn't matter who it is."