Sports
Women’s soccer captures second straight WIAC title
Pointer Contributor
Hshee298@uwsp.edu
The University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point women’s soccer team clinched their second consecutive Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference regular season championship last Saturday by defeating UW-Eau Claire, 3-1, and are only one game away from finishing conference play undefeated as they head into the postseason WIAC tournament.
UWSP women’s soccer head coach Sheila Miech was asked which was greater: being, so far, undefeated among conference teams or being WIAC champions.
“Both go hand in hand, really; you usually need one to attain the other,” Miech said.
With the victory however, comes more hard work. The team has earned themselves the number one seed and first round bye in the next level of the season’s competition, the WIAC conference tournament. If they can come out victorious here, the team will move on to the National Collegiate Athletic Association regional round, where they will compete to be the top Division III team in the nation.
Reflecting back on the season, coach Miech said, “I would say the turning point of this season happened as late as the Eau Claire game we had last weekend. At the game, there was a point where I looked at the other coaches and we agreed that what we were seeing was beautiful soccer.”
It was at UW-Eau Claire when the girls received their conference title, one that was almost expected of them.
Freshman forward Kirsti Nickels, who netted a hat-trick in the first half against UW-Eau Claire, said, “Something that kept us focused during that game was that our coach told us ‘We don’t lose conference games.’ We didn’t want to let down those expectations.”
“A lot of spectators had their doubts about this year though because we are a younger team. It made the victory all the better when we proved these doubts wrong,” Nickels said.
Miech couldn’t agree more. She commented on the success of this team, in a year that was originally viewed as a ‘rebuilding’ year after the loss of 10 seniors, as her most proud piece of the season.
“As the games progressed, we learned more about the way each person plays the game and our team chemistry just exploded,” Miech said. “Also, the girls are living as athletes, considering all aspects of training including the often looked-over need for a healthy diet, sleep and positive dynamics within the team.”
Miech also credited her coaching staff, commending the sacrifices they make for the team.
“This is 100 percent a team sport. No one should be highlighted more than another because the defensive players, offensive players and coaches are all absolutely necessary for good soccer to happen.”
The final ingredient to a strong athlete is a positive attitude. Nickels reflected this strength about her team when she said, “We hope to win the conference tournament and do the best we can. We just need the defense to stay strong and the offense to score as many goals as they can.”
The action behind this attitude has already made heads turn this season. Don’t miss out on the action, cheer on the women’s soccer team on Nov. 5 for the WIAC conference tournament semifinals at the Point Soccer Bowl.
