Two of the conference's traditionally underperforming teams come together for the first Northern Conference match since July 8th, 2024, after a year in the North Lakes Conference, Land of Lakes Division. That match also featured the hosts here, though only three players played in both (Berklee Reelfs, Madeline Nelson and Zetta Thurow) This is the only match in the Northern Conference this week.
WPSL is like the college game in that there is unlimited re-entry.
Manitou starters:
Alyssa Persby, Amanda Elton, Bella Kozlowski, Berklee Reelfs, Cozette Nyembwe, Lila Paradise, Lucinda Nde, Mackenna Arnold, Madeline Nelson, Marin Peterson, Tea Optiz (GK)
Bench: Alexa Paradise, Brynn Babich, Camille Atanga, Grace Weierke, Jessica Bartz, Lexie Bartz, Madeleine Thompson, Zetta Thurow.
Minnesota Dutch Lions starters: Alexandra Husson, Armani Fulton, Cora Kmiec, Danija Walker, Delaney Awe, Ella Huettl, Freya Sutherland, Marissa Tamayo (GK), Niamh Cartwright, Poppy Smith, Serene Hamzeh.
Bench: Anna Gilmer, Ava Threinen, Grace Kotewa, Hannah Mailander, Natasha Goodwin, Samantha Perez, Tori Engeldinger.
A close game where both teams had periods of possession. Manitou FC got off to a quick start, up 2-0 after an early goal on a turnover inside the penalty area, which led to a neat exchange and a short-range blast from Amanda Elton to put the hosts ahead in the 2nd minute. Elton comes from Cottage Grove and played for Minnesota Aurora during part of her time with St Kate's. A blast from the left wing by Lucinda Nde, a high schooler in Anoka, Minnesota, in the 5th minute, made it 2-0.
Dutch Lions responded with a goal from a corner, Ella Huttl (Minnesota State Mankato) getting on the end of Cora Kmiec's delivery to beat her former Mankato United teammate Tea Opitz (Cleveland State) with only 11 minutes on the clock. Kmiec has previously appeared in these pages for Minnesota TwinStars UPSL while at Jackson State, she is from Eagan, Minnesota.
A Manitou ball from the right was scrambled in at the far post by Camille Atanga (from the Academy of Holy Angels high school) to make it 3-1 in the 21st minute, but the lead was again narrowed when a counterattack down the right found Poppy Smith just seven minutes later. Smith comes from Royston, Herts, England and attends Hutchison Community College in Kansas, having made the local papers playing in the FA WNL D1 for Cambridge United.
The second half started with Manitou peppering the Dutch Lions' goal without breaking through, but it gave way to an increasingly nervy home team. The Lions could not break through the resolute Manitou defense.
The hosts sealed the win with a beautifully curled free kick from the right corner of the penalty area into the top left corner in the 1st minute of second-half stoppage time. The scorer, Maddie Nelson, out of St Thomas and Hugo, Minnesota, played all 90 minutes in midfield before the belter of an exclamation point.
Head Coach Qasim Ilmi of Manitou FC spoke to Northland Soccer Journal after the game.
It was a very good game, but it's the start of the season, you don't know what you have. We're excited to get the 1st win under our belt. We probably have the youngest team, we had an 8th grader and two high school freshmen start for us today. Maddie Nelson had a really good game, including the free kick winner.
NSJ: Obviously, you have historically been middle-of-the-pack. What are your expectations for the season?
Our job is to compete. We want to compete in every game, but if you want to compete for the conference, you've got to beat the teams that you're supposed to beat, and the Dutch Lions are one of those teams that could beat us, and we could beat them.
Bassem Fadlia, Dutch Lions head coach also noticed the cohesion in their opposition.
Of course we are disappointed with the result especially that we beat Manitou most recent years. I know the opponents drew most of their team from their club's youth academy so they had good chemistry while our team while having a few players from our local area familiar with each other we also recruit many players nationally and internationally. So, we are still trying to build our chemistry and I think we started to see improvement as the game progressed and we are confident we will be much better by our next game.
Up Next
Both teams play next on Sunday 31st. Manitou FC plays on the road at Minnesota Bliss. Minnesota Dutch Lions play on the road in Mankato.
St Croix Legacy also opens up their defense of the Central Region on the 31st, hosting Joy AC, a match which will be our Match of the Week next time.
Before those games, the week starts with a Friday matchup of Bliss and Mankato.
