The Winona State University women’s soccer team had a game for the history books this past week. Women’s soccer is already quite a historic sport – Nettie Honeyball devised the first women’s games soccer as far back as 1894, 36 years after Winona State University was founded. The first recorded women’s soccer game occurred on March 23, 1895, when a North England team defeated a South England team 7-1.
The WSU game on Thursday, Oct. 26 was just as historic. The Warriors went head-to-head against Minnesota State University Duluth for another epic showdown between North and South. After an absurd deluge of rain soaked the players at the onset of the game, the two teams left the field with a tie.
Second-year players Johanna Shubert, Grace Seim and Madelynn Drasher each scored a goal, contributing to a final score of 3-3. Another star player was first- year student Anna Lundeen who was a veritable blocking machine, snagging four saves against Duluth.
Before the game this past Thursday, third-year goalkeeper Aly Jumper and fourth-year midfielder Reanne Weil recalled their own soccer histories in an interview.
Jumper recalled starting her career when she was just seven years old because, as she relates, her parents would not let her play football or hockey. To her, success in soccer is more than just winning games.
“Beyond just winning, I love shutting any opponents out the most,” Jumper said. “Walking away from a game like Mankato’s saying, ‘A nationally ranked team could not score on me’ is the best feeling.”
She fondly recalls just such an experience playing with WSU at the conference tournament in her second year. That was the game where the team secured their first spot in the conference in five years – an excellent game, to be sure.
She elaborates that some aspects of the game are a little less triumphant, especially as a goalkeeper. She notes that the hardest part of being a goalkeeper is moving on from moments of failure. As is common in most sports, even if a point is scored, it is imperative to forget about that setback and focus on the next.
Weil shares that she has also played soccer since she was seven.
“I started playing soccer because I was full of energy and was absolutely intrigued by this big, round object that I had to kick into a net,” she said. “And success means that as long as I try my hardest and put forth my best efforts, I will be successful.”
Weil has truly shown evidence of such successes throughout her years on the team. During her career as a Warrior so far, she has played in a total of 51 games and started in 39. She has also scored five goals and gained twelve points in those games. All these games have totaled an impressive 3,590 total minutes spent on the field.
Weil’s favorite memory with the Warriors has not been a single memory at all, but instead the many years of being able to play alongside her teammates. To her, they are not just teammates, but a family that has helped shape her into the person that she is today.
The Winona State Women’s soccer team took the time to honor their graduating players such as Weil this past week and will give them the chance to show off their skills at home one last time at their final game against Wayne State College on Nov. 2.
