Do you know the St. Olaf fight song? Few first years do, but the Ole women’s soccer team seems determined to change that fact.
After the women’s 2-0 win against St. Mary’s University last Saturday, Sept. 15, the Oles jogged over to the stands and sang the fight song to the parents and fans who came to support them.
The Oles got an early start on the Cardinals. In the 10th minute, captain Annie Manning ’13 assisted Amanda Leone ’14 off of a corner kick for the first goal of the game.
Despite the close score, St. Olaf dominated possession throughout the game, out-shooting the Cardinals 18-5. Manning solidified the lead with less than 10 minutes left in the game on an unassisted first goal of the year.
“In terms of possession, Olaf was the stronger team,” said Nora Forbes ’14, captain and goalie. Forbes also commented on her team’s strategies on the field, which included an emphasis on trying to change the point of the attack. The Oles struggled offensively in their game against Gustavus on Sept. 12 also a 2-0 win, which motivated the team to focus on its offensive strategy against St. Mary’s.
Ole women’s soccer welcomes 10 new players this season after graduating a strong senior class.
“We lost a lot of experience, but gained a lot of speed with the incoming freshmen,” Forbes said. She explained that the team dynamics differ from other years in that this year she, along with co-captains Manning and Megan Campbell ’14, is trying to build an atmosphere in which everyone is equal. Senior leadership is also strong, providing “community and a culture within the team,” Forbes said.
This cohesiveness has also extended to the team’s relationship with Ole men’s soccer. There seems to be more of an effort this year to have a closer community between the men’s and women’s teams. The women’s team makes a point of starting the Ole fight song whenever the boys score at home games, which always energizes the crowd.
The women followed up their victory with a 1-1 tie against No. 22 Wartburg on Tuesday, Sept. 18 at Rolf Mellby Field. The draw leaves the Oles with a record of 4-2-1, 2-0-0 in the MIAC. Up next, the Oles travel to St. Paul for a Sept. 22 game against St. Catherine University. St. Olaf topped the Wildcats 4-0 last fall.
stetsec@stolaf.edu
