The Warriors started off their home game debut with a 2-1 loss against Michigan Technological University on Sunday, Sept. 9.

The game started off with lots of energy on and off the field from Winona State University, as family, friends and fans alike gathered in the stands for the home opening game of the 2018 season.

This season features the return for many upperclassmen for the Warriors, but there is a new head coach in Matt Kellogg and a new assistant coach in Val Kellogg.

The first period featured an early goal by senior Courtney Wiencek in the 12th minute, putting Winona ahead early into the match. The Huskies tried to even out the playing field with three shots made, though one was wide and the other two were high.

After the battle for the goal, both teams had a number of substitutions, Michigan Tech with two and Winona State with five within four minutes.

Seniors Wiencek and Abby Bohanski, and juniors Alyssa Reynolds and Mariah Northrop were common contenders for substitutions as some of Winona’s top forwards and midfielders.

The playing stayed aggressive as the Huskies and Warriors fought for the ball constantly across the field and could show through each team’s stats from the first period.

Michigan Tech ended the first period with six fouls and one yellow card placed on first-year Stephanie Yeager in the 38th minute, while Winona State had three fouls called and a yellow card placed on junior Taylor Johnson in the 41st minute.

The second period started off with three fouls on Michigan Tech and two on Winona within the first 10 minutes of the half. Wiencek, and seniors MacKenzie Chancellor and Georgette Topalis within the first 10 mintues all had shots on goal but were saved by Michigan Tech goalie Amanda Young.

There was no shortage of fouls in the second period either, as the Huskies gathered four fouls in the first 15-minutes, with the Warriors collecting three. A few more substitutions were called for Michigan Tech and Winona State, bringing in Northrop, Reynolds, Bohanski and senior Kirsten Windbiel to bump up the defense on the field for the team as the match started to heat up once again.

In the 71st minute, Yeager of Michigan Tech managed to rebound in front of the goal after a corner kick by Anna Gulan and scored the first goal of the game for the Huskies. Winona battled to control the ball, getting two more shots on goal, one which was blocked and one saved by Young.

In the 82nd minute, first-year Grace Shaw of the Huskies kicked the ball past Warriors’ senior goalie Jourdan Valkner into the top right corner of the net, scoring Michigan Tech their second goal of the game.

Despite the fight Winona put up in the last minute of the game, getting six more shots on goal, they unfortunately were not able to get that last goal and would lose the match 2-1.

The Warriors will play again Friday, Sept. 14 against Mankato State University in Mankato, Minnesota at 3 p.m., and Sunday, Sept. 16 at 1 p.m. against Concordia University in St. Paul, Minnesota.