Above: Fairmont’s Amalia Riding battles for control of the ball with Kyra Friedrich in the defensive zone as Isabella Schroeder and Emma Pocrus move into support positions Monday night at Cotto Fields.
FAIRMONT – The Fairmont Cardinal women’s soccer team played its final regular season game against the St. Peter Saints on Monday night, taking time to pay tribute to its seniors as their tenures in Cardinal Red soon come to an end. .
The all-senior starting lineup held out, but they lost 1-0 in Big South Conference play.
“I think this really represents the pinnacle of maturity,” Fairmont women’s soccer head coach Matt Nielsen said. “Most players aren’t going to go to college and play, so this is an experience that’s been a part of their lives since they were four or five years old. Up until I got it, it drove me everywhere, and I still get to wash my stuff, shed my tears, and share my joy, so it’s a really nice two-way street. It’s like a celebration. So we respect that and we start all of our seniors, no matter who the opponent is. That’s what I’ve always done. We are proud to carry on that tradition.”
Despite the close loss, the Cardinals will now focus on Thursday’s Big South Conference Championship Game.
The Saints trailed by a point in the first half, and in the 14th minute Kyra Friedrich scored the only goal of the game when she broke through the Cardinal back four and slotted the ball past goalie Mary Bennett. From then on, it was a defensive battle until the end.
Bennett made nine saves on the night.
In the second half, the Cardinals began to create more attacking chances, but the Saints defense was solid and responded kindly, forcing Bennett to make a crucial save in the 11th minute, extending their 1-0 lead. I couldn’t do that.
“Overall, I was satisfied,” Nielsen said. “I think the biggest difference in not having a traditional lineup was communication. We’re not on the same line, so we’re not talking the same way. Even though we’re teammates, we’re not used to the people around us. It’s tough not having them, but we wondered what that game was like, and we were hoping for that too, but I’m really glad that we won from top to bottom.”
The regular season senior team includes Cadence Riding, Elsa Thompson, Grace Simpson, Isabella Schroeder, Kaitlyn Hintz, Kennedy Becker, Macy Smith, Madison Pruim, Mary Bennett, Nicole Zebedee and Simone Castro. has ended. But they aim to make their time forever by taking the banner back to school.
“I told them, ‘Embrace the opportunity. There’s no pressure, but it’s a chance to actually be recognized as a conference champion, and it’s in your control.'” “We’re not relying on goal difference. If we win games, we get the flag,” Nielsen said.
The junior varsity team earned a 1-0 win over the Saints with a goal from Megan Hector, and Addie Voorkurts made six saves on the night.
Boys Soccer ST.Peter 7, Fairmont 1 ST.Peter – The Fairmont Cardinals lost to the St. Peter Saints 7-1.
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