They've Still Got It!!

Spring Season and Alumnae Game

    This spring season sure was a battle... with the weather that is!!  For our six spring practices, and Alumnae game, the coaching staff had three different surfaces booked EVERY time to be prepared for anything!  

Brit Chase takes on the Alumnae on the dribble.

    We began indoors in Lund Arena on the turf for our first practice back, finding our touch, getting reacquainted with how one another plays, and just playing a whole lot of small sided soccer!  We followed up with a 3v3 tournament in our racquet ball courts, nicknamed Da Sneaka Soul, with Team Timbs: Emily Papagapitos, Kirsten Palan, and Heather Goff taking the title!!

   The weather finally started to cooperate and we were able to get out onto Hollingsworth Field turf (football stadium) for practices three, four and five.  Mixing in a series of drills to work on communication and first touch with a whole lot of playing.  There were 2v2 games, 3v3 games, 4v4, 6v6, 8v8... we nearly hit them all!

Alumnae possess, but are pressured quick.

   FINALLY after what seemed like forever, we were able to get on our practice fields for the final practice of the Spring Season.  We had a 3v3 street soccer tournament, complete with a match-up board, with the teams switching every game.  

A running joke throughout the Spring Season,
Coach Burnett-Kurie ties Amanda Cartony's
ribbon in her hair... she's allowed to wear it
(much to Coach's dismay) if she "cele's"
every time she scores a goal this fall.

   A constant throughout all Spring Season were our individual team competitions.  Each individual player could win points in ANY small-sided game to be crowned "Rooball Champion".  They were awarded 6 to 10 points for a win, 1 for a tie, 3 for a shutout, and a point for EVERY goal scored.  That's a lot of points to calculate folks!  Next there was our "Chase Brit Cup", named for freshman Brit Chase who was the only student-athlete to come in and get ZERO points on her preseason fitness testing.  So you guessed it, this was our fitness competition for the spring.  For being the first 3 or 4 members of the team to complete a fitness exercise these girls were awarded points.  No competition would be complete without an overall champion though... This competition started out named "Champion of the World", but was quickly renamed by the team... "QUEEN OF THE WORLD"  because after all, isn't soccer your world?!  It's absolutely ours!!  This member of the team would be the player who amounted the MOST OVERALL points throughout both competitions...  All winners have yet to be announced, so you're going to have to wait patiently like the rest of the team. :)

   Our culmination of Spring Season was a blustery, but awesome Alumnae game!  We had 12 alumnae return, including current seniors: Nikki Carlson, Tam Meuwissen, Maggie Lane, Kristin Moen, and Meghan Zenner '13 as well as Meghan Faricy'11, Karen Stenoien '11, Abby Maus '11, Nicole Kwapick '11, Mackenzie Del Santro '11, Meghan McMillan '12 and Nicole Ektuitphong '15 who took it to the current Gusties and were able to squeak out a win on Meghan Faricy's single goal for a 1-0 WIN.  After the game, alums and current Gusties mixed over burgers, hot dogs and a few veggie burgers while they caught up on life, soccer and all things Gustavus and otherwise.  All and all it was a great exclamation point on a quick, fun, hard working Spring Season!  

Current Women's Soccer Gusties and Alumnae unite after the battle!

We know for a fact the current Gusties are already fired up over their loss and ready for next year's rematch... Alums, you better start training now!!  We can't wait to have you all back again next year!

Team-Work is the Best Work

Helping Out in the Community

Need a lift?!  Freshman Anna Basil picks up
Senior Tam Meuwissen to reach the really high spots!

Some of the Gustavus Women's Soccer team got their hands dirty over the weekend and pitched in to help out an elderly couple in St. Peter.  Tam Meuwissen who sparked the interest from the team writes about their few hours giving back:

"I am part of a group called the One Time Volunteers. Basicallywhat happens is you put your name on a sign-up sheet that is posted right outside the Center for Servant Leadership and you are put onto an email alias with a bunch of other people from this group who want to volunteer, but don't want to commit to a specific volunteer group. Anyone in the community can email the organizer of the group, Sara Sletten, and then she forwards these individual volunteer opportunities to the entire email alias. Anyone who is interested in volunteering for that certain event or opportunity can email them back directly to figure out more in depth volunteer details. 

Raking the day away!  Sophomores Caroline Olsen
and Heather Goff use their "guns" to get the job done!

This couple has emailed several times throughout the year asking for volunteers to help them do some basic yard work and upkeep of their house. They are both in their 80's and are former Gustie professors.  I thought it was a great opportunity now that the weather turned nicer!  

Weed away.  Sophomore Val Belanger and
Freshman Anna Basil also happen to be really good at weeding!

When we were there, we raked leaves, pulled weeds, and washed the outside of their windows. These two have a lot of trouble getting around, especially since Bill has recently had surgery on his back. We only stayed for about an hour but we accomplished a lot with the eight of us that were there. The old couple really appreciated it and made us cupcakes after we were done. We sat around for about ten minutes and just listened to them talk about their experience at Gustavus and how they came to live in St. Peter. They were extremely nice and one of the cutest old couples I have ever seen. 

This little effort meant the word to this couple. You could tell by the way they praised our work. This probably not only made their day, but their entire week, and we were more than happy to do it!"

-Tam Meuwissen, Senior

All smiles!  Happy to help, Karlye Smith washes some
windows in the front of the house.

ALUMNI GAME MAY 11th - UPDATE

We hope you are all planning on joining us for our 

Alumni Game Saturday May 11th!!

KICKOFF - 1:00 PM

On the practice fields by the baseball field!

See you there!!  We can hardly wait!!