Minnesota Bliss FC 2-1 Mankato United SC
Fernbrook Fields in the Northwest suburbs of the Twin Cities metro hosted the first match of the season for both the home standing Bliss and their visitors. The hosts are basically a new team, with 14 players making their debut.
One of the few returning players, Maple Grove local Kelsey Wentland (Maryville) got the game off to a fast start for Bliss, scoring within 5 minutes on an assist from Champlin Park High School kid Jessica Lee.
Mankato United equalized ten minutes later through center back Ashlyn O'Malley. O'Malley is from Rogers, MN and currently plays at Southern Utah.
It would remain tied until just past the hour mark when Lee, who is also a Taekwando national teamer for Haiti, claimed a game-winning goal to go with her earlier assist.
Speaking to Northland Soccer Journal after the game, Minnesota Bliss interim head coach Jean-Yves Viardin admitted that he was still learning the squad after the previous coach had resigned only two weeks ago.
They started strong, but we hit them on the counterattack for the first goal. Their response was also on the counter. As the game went on, we grew into the game and the second half we dominated.
NSJ: What about Jessica Lee?
She'll be a senior at Champlin this coming year and has just moved to TFE GA. She has committed to St. Thomas. I've coached her previously at MapleBrook and I think she'll get a few goals.
A full photo gallery from this match is available here.
St Croix Legacy 1-1 Joy Athletic Club
The weekend came to a close in Stillwater, Minnesota - home of the defending Central Region champions, Marcos Rodriguez's St Croix Legacy. There are enough returnees from that run to fill an entire team, but most only go back that far with Legacy. Even in a league dominated by the Twin Cities metropolitan area, Joy is exceptionally local, with every player from somewhere in the Metro. St Croix's keeper was former Joy AC player Sydney Potter (A former Concordia St Paul player from South St Paul, MN)
It was a rainy evening in Stillwater, and a damp squib of a first half where midfield possession dominated and penetration into the penalty area was rare. Joy managed to trouble Sydney Potter only once and Legacy had a handful of chances, including a penalty kick shout when Amara Smith (A Minnesota State Mankato player out of Lake Elmo, MN) collided with a defender. The first half ended goal-less.
The pattern continued through the second half until Sarah Motalebi (Bethel University, out of Woodbury, MN) took matters into her own hands and struck Joy ahead from the right edge of the penalty area in the 73rd minute, curling a ball into the top corner.
In truth, while they may have sped up, Legacy's plan didn't seem to deviate, and they secured an equalizer from a left-wing corner as Stillwater local and South Dakota Coyote Brooke Nelson smashed the ball home in the 87th minute.
That was all the goalmouth action to be had, and the two sides shared the points.
St Croix Legacy Head Coach and Sporting Director, Marcos Rodriguez spoke to Northland Soccer Journal after the game.
Looking back at the game, I thought it was a fitting result. I think we showed how new of a team we have this year with how much we lost last year. So I think in the first half, you could really see us trying to get familiar and adjusted to each other, but I think where the potential came out was in the second half. I think we generated some really good chances had some really good looks in the run of play and were unfortunate that we got caught on the counter attack but bounced back and showed some good resilience in responding in the 87th minute with the game tying goal.
Saw some really good things out of some of the new players, especially in Bianca Eide and Gabby Verke as our outside backs. In some of our returners, I thought Brooke Nelson had a fantastic second half, really showed the impact she’s gonna have this season for us. Also, in our returners, I thought Emily Hinze was fantastic and showed her leadership out on the field, showing her experience that she’s had over her time as a player, and keeping us organized and in the game.
But overall, I thought it was a good way to bounce back and show that we are able to respond even with little time left and I think as we continue to progress in trainings and get a few more games under our belt, I think we have all the pieces here to be one of the more competitive teams in the conference and hopefully get back to where we were last year.
His counterpart in the dugouts was Joy of the People's Artistic Director Ted Kroeten. We have approached him for his comments and will update when they are provided.
A full photo gallery of this match is also online.
Elsewhere in the Northland
Sunday: Mankato United 0-1 Minnesota Dutch Lions
Minnesota Bliss FC 3-0 Manitou FC
Coming Up
Wednesday
Minnesota Thunder v Joy AC
Salvo SC v Minnesota Bliss FC
Friday
Mankato United v Manitou FC
Joy AC v Minnesota Dutch Lions
Sunday
Joy AC v Salvo SC
Minnesota Dutch Lions v St Croix Legacy
Minnesota Bliss FC v Minnesota Thunder
