WPSL Championships Review
The WPSL regular season sprints from May to June, amplifying form and individual performances into poetry as these unpaid athletes strain every sinew. The post-season is a different beast, as clubs opt out and players leave the scene to return to the college sides which are understandably their main concern. Thus it was in the Land of the Lakes where Thunder opted out of the postseason and St Croix Legacy's leading goalscorer Tatum Trettel was unavailable for the Championship run. The same dynamics play out across every division, but the final two sides standing both have veteran rosters with a large handful of graduates not subject to the same tug of war as active student-athletes.
St Croix made it to the national semifinals by winning the Land of the Lakes division, then the North Lakes conference (on penalty kicks). On their first trip to Oklahoma, they beat Union KC and the (thus far unbeaten) homestanding Oklahoma City FC. They've made it through the post-season soaking up pressure like a sponge and unleashing the passing skills of Bella Meier and the speed and finishing of Amara Smith. Smith is typical of the make-up of this tightly knit squad, one of the 11 St Croix academy products, 13 Minnesotans and one of 7 Stillwater area players, having grown up in Lake Elmo, MN. She made her name in Metro United Homeschool before moving on to Minnesota State in Mankato. Meier transferred into St Kates from St Thomas. She is an outlier, a Minnesota Thunder Academy product and the only one in the squad to have been here before (Meier scored a game-winning penalty during Salvo's national runner-up campaign of 2023). While she's one of the few women not to have grown up through the St Croix system, the St Kates senior midfielder is joined on this Legacy roster by five others with ties to the St Paul university, including assistant coach Kate Praetz.
While all but 3 of Legacy's postseason roster are active students and only one is a Division 1 player, 8 of the Sporting squad have graduated college already, and Tiffany Weimer did so from Penn State in 2005. The East Champions could also comfortably field an 11 of active D1 athletes.
The second semifinal was a more even matchup in terms of roster, with Storm featuring 7 graduates and a wide range of D1 schools. While Chattanooga have only 5 graduates, they also showed a number of D1 schools represented.
On the eve of the Championships, the All Region teams were announced, with the places allocated based on the performances in the Regional Semis and Finals.
Semi-Finals
Sporting CT (East) 4-1 St Croix Legacy (Central)
Legacy took a lead after a speculative free kick whipped in from midfield was deflected past the keeper by Sporting's Kylee McIntosh in the 32nd minute but that would be the high point for Legacy and even the one goal lead would evaporate in the scorching Oklahoma heat before half time. With Sporting happy to pass it until a gap appeared, Amani Jenkins finished off a succession of precision passing along the penalty area in the 43rd minute.
With only five minutes played in the second half, Sporting claimed the lead as Lexi Taylor set up Sporting player coach Tiffany Weimer close in. In the 70th minute, Weimer turned provider in unorthodox fashion as her shot from out wide on the left was acrobatically tipped wide by Hadley Johnson. Unfortunately for the Legacy, Tori Sousa powered home a header from the corner to make it 3-1. The hydration break arrived a minute too late for St Croix and almost immediately after play resumed it was 4-1, Abby Johnson placed it past her namesake in the Legacy goal. Legacy were unable to break through the defense and in particular the attentions of Marist graduate McIntosh.
California Storm (West) 1-0 Chattanooga FC (South)
Having themselves ended Charlotte Eagles' attempt to become the first WPSL repeat champions last year, it is the turn of the West Champions to attempt the trick. Chattanooga on the other hand are in the midst of their first WPSL playoff run.
The first half went by goal-less. The second half saw Storm pinned back by incessant Chattanooga attacking but it was still goal-less by the second half hydration break in the 68th minute. After being thoroughly outplayed, it was Cal Storm who found the winner in the 80th minute. USYNT player Erica Grillione created a shot out of a broken attack and lofted the ball into the top corner from the edge of the box.
Final - Sporting CT 4-0 California Storm
Would it be a first title for the first year team from Connecticut, or would the champs repeat? Sporting set about stamping their mark on the game early.
With only three minutes on the clock, UConn Husky Lexi Taylor fired a shot from outside the box and Storm goalie Abbie Faingold tipped it away for a corner. The set piece was scrambled in at the back post by Emily Senatore of Oxford, Connecticut and Northwestern State in Louisiana. The goal was the first that the Californian side had conceded in 500 minutes.
Taylor was also responsible for setting up the second goal, unable to find a way through on the top of the box but Amani Jenkins rifled it home in the tenth minute.
Storm built back up and fought for possession but with no penetration into the Sporting penalty area. Despite Storm possession, it was 3-0 in the 27th minute as Cara Jordan's cross from the left was connected upon by Abbie Burgess and deflected past Faingold.
Tiffany Weimer clipped a ball from the left side of midfield between the defenders and on to the run of Jordan. Jordan poked the ball past the onrushing Faingold for the fourth in 35 minutes and, it would turn out, the final goal of the game.
The second half of this second match in three days reflected fatigue and 90 degree heat, more than it reflected the scoreline.
Stillwater to Stillwater - St Croix Legacy make the WPSL National Finals
The host stadium of the WPSL National Finals, Neal Patterson Stadium on the campus of Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, OK, is only a 90-minute ride from the site of the Central Region Playoffs in OKC. However, since there is a week between these two rounds, Central Region winners St. Croix Legacy returned home to the ordinary lives that players at this level have to balance before they reprised their road trip. That meant an 11-hour trip South on the 12th from Stillwater, MN, to Oklahoma City and an 11-hour trip North on the 14th, followed by another 22-hour round-trip this week. On the pitch, it has been the speed of Amara Smith up front and the flying saves of Hadley Johnson which have powered Legacy's run to Oklahoma State. Smith is leading the playoff field with four goals from three games.
Their opponents, Sporting CT are the tip of the Middletown Youth Soccer system. They went 9-0-1 in their debut season of WPSL competition to top the Northeastern Conference and then destroyed Niagara 1812 9-0 in their regional semifinals before a more competitive 2-1 win in the East Region Final. They are led, on and off the pitch, by 12 year professional and current player-coach Tiffany Weimer.
Coming from the South region are Chattanooga FC (800 miles east in Tennessee). They finished the regular season 5-1-1 and won their regional playoffs conclusively, 3-1 against Arlington Soccer Blue and then 4-0 against Louisiana Krewe Rush. Annick Lolita Manga Zouma is the joint second highest scorer left in the playoffs with three goals.
They will play defending national champion California Storm, based just outside of Sacramento (1700 miles to the west of Stillwater, OK). Storm are looking to become the league's first ever back-to-back champions, and to win a second in three years. Their regional path was similar to SCT, with a 7-0 victory in the semifinals. They took an early two-goal lead in their regional final and rode it to the trophy. Lauren Kenny has three goals for the champs.
Friday:
St Croix Legacy v Sporting CT - 6pm CT
California Storm v Chattanooga FC - 8:15pm CT
Sunday:
WPSL Championship
WPSL Central Region Playoffs Review
Saturday
St Croix Legacy 3-1 Union KC
Both these teams have tight-knit rosters of players who have played through their local club before matriculating. Legacy's players are largely at colleges across the upper Midwest. However, a sizeable number are just outside the Stillwater area at schools elsewhere in the Twin Cities Metro, whence they return in Summer to play WPSL football. Marisa Bonilla has the longest journey home, from Gainesville in Florida.
Union's players largely come from the smaller Kansas City Metro to spread out across the broader Midwest, with Caroline Carter the most further afield in Hawaii.
The match kick off was delayed an hour by heavy rain but it didn't take St Croix long to break through. In the 6th minute, Hastings MN's Bella Meier chipped a ball over the Union defense into the right channel, and the shot by Stillwater's Brooke Nelson was parried into the path of Amara Smith - the second leading goalscorer out of Lake Elmo, MN.
Smith and Meyer linked up again in the 28th minute, Amara Smith drove in from the left but couldn't find an opening. Bella Meier took on the ball and blasted it into the side netting from the top of the box. Union had a few chances to score, but headers were off target from in-close.
Around the hour mark, the deficit was halved by Union as a deflected cross into the right channel was met by Reece Birch, slicing the ball past Johnson. In the 77th minute, Nelson drove down the St Croix right and her deflected shot was dispatched by Cici Emery out of Mahtomedi, MN to make it 3-1.
Oklahoma City FC 3-0 Austin Rise FC
OKC's roster are all from the surrounding area, except for Oklahoma Sooner Kiki Smith, who's from Ahwatukee, AZ, and Plant City, Florida's Chloe Murphy. Rise have the most diverse roster in this tournament, from Puerto Rico to Japan via Texas.
The match was a comfortable home win, dominance in possession capped by set piece execution - two goals from corners in the first half through Hannah Voskuhl from Edmund, OK and Sabrina Guzman from Oklahoma City, OK and a blast on the rebound from a saved shot in the middle of the second half from fellow Oklahoma Citian Jenna Munson. The fate of the visitors was summed up when an Austin Rise penalty kick was saved by Norman, OK's Callie Sullivan.
Sunday
Central Region Final - Oklahoma City FC 1-2 St Croix Legacy
The home team Scissortails dominated possession in the first half, but Legacy took the lead after Minneapolis's Wren van de Walker on the counter attack in the fourth minute clipped the ball into the path of Amara Smith, who chipped the keeper Callie Sullivan. The visitors would finish the half with only two shots on target, but also saw a strong appeal for a penalty kick turned down.
Around the hour mark, Jenna Munson drove into the Legacy box and Edmund, OK's Lydia Viets provided the finishing touch on the equalizer. The drama was nowhere near over, as Amara Smith continued to drive the Legacy forward. In the 82nd minute, Smith connected on a counter attack and streaked away from Hannah Voskuhl. Norman, OK's Elle Abbey, who played the enforcer the entire game, took her down. Abbey received her marching orders for the denial of a goalscoring opportunity. Only three minutes later, Brooke Nelson drove in, but Sami Guzman took her down and Amara Smith spun the PK into the side-netting, just beyond Sullivan. And so it was that Oklahoma City FC's only defeat of the season comes in the Central Region Final.
St Croix Executive Director Nathan Klonecki was full of admiration:
Again, the players just keep coming up big everytime. Amara Smith basically took it upon herself to score today and they had no answers to stop her. The rest of the team just worked hard and did their role to the best of their ability.
Marcos Rodriguez - Coach
Coming Up:
The Central Champions St Croix Legacy return to Central Oklahoma, 90 mins drive from OKC at Oklahoma State University and face the Eastern Champions Sporting CT at 6pm on Friday.
The Western Champions (and defending champions) California Storm play the Southern Champions Chattanooga FC at 8:15pm on Friday
The WPSL Championship is at 7pm on Sunday.
WPSL Central Regionals Preview
The hosting assignment is rotated across the Conferences, and this year falls with the Midwest Conference, whose winners (in epic fashion) were Oklahoma City FC.
That means a bumper diet of football in the state, first on July 12 and 13th at OKCFC's home, a half hour West of Oklahoma City in Mustang, OK.
Sean Jones co-owns Oklahoma City FC with his wife, Penny. He spoke to us today about the prospects of the hosts:
We have a very young but very talented group of young women who have worked extremely hard for their success on the field this season. They have overcome some adversity on getting to this point and based on this season, I would say that if we play well, we will be competitive in every game we play here on out.
I do believe we have not only very talented, hardworking players, but as they demonstrated in the Conference Championship, they have a great deal of “grit” and determination. I also believe that we have one of the best coaching and administrative staff’s in the league and they work extremely well together which has resulted in a group that has come together in a very short period of time and are truly a “TEAM”.
I truly believe that we have a very good opportunity in front of us if we play well, however we know that at this point in the season, every team is very competitive and there should be some great games this weekend!
Joining them from the Midwest Conference are a wildcard team, Union KC, who were selected after both Mountain Conference qualifiers opted out of postseason play. We last saw UKC last year, when they lost in the semis to FC Pride.
Director of Coaching Dan Naidu spoke to us as the games approached:
We’re grateful for the opportunity to compete in the WPSL playoffs for the 2nd year in a row. The team has grown stronger every week—playing with purpose, unity, and resilience. We believe in our ability to compete with the best and are excited for the challenge ahead.
Austin Rise FC make the 400-mile trip north, having sealed the one-division Lone Star Conference with a 7-1-2 record and a goal difference of +10.
Co-Founder Bethany Cyrtmus-Davaul had this to say about her club:
Capturing back‑to‑back Lonestar Conference titles is a testament to this squad’s unwavering fight and belief. We bounced back from two late-season losses but the coaches and players stepped up and showed their real character with a dramatic 3–2 win on the road to solidify the conference championship. Now, with that momentum behind us, we’re returning to the Regional Playoffs and will head to Oklahoma City full of confidence and ready for an excellent weekend ahead!
St Croix has taken their place at the Central Regional table for the first time following a penalty shootout win, which capped a spectacular performance by Stillwater, MN's Pomona Pitzer Sagehen Hadley Johnson in goal for the Legacy. They also did so without the trailblazing Tatum Trettel, who had contributed the most goals during the club's regular season run.
Speaking to us after training this week, Executive Director Nathan Klonecki told us they have been studying film:
From what we have found, they are going to be a difficult opponent. We knew all these teams at this level and at this moment in playoffs.We always come in to a game understanding it is going to be difficult. Some of our players are not able to attend but that was the same situation when we went to Milwaukee.We have the mindset that the next player up. We know we will come and compete.
Saturday
5:30pm - St Croix Legacy v Union KC
8:00pm - Oklahoma City FC v Austin Rise FC
Sunday
7:00pm - Central Region Final
Coming Up:
The host site of the WPSL Championships, Neal Patterson Stadium at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, OK is only a 90 minute ride from OKC. However, since there is a week between these two rounds, the teams all return home to the ordinary lives that players at this level have to balance across the Central Region before the winners essentially reprise their road trips.
WPSL North Lakes Conference Championship Review - Legacy prevail at the death
FC Milwaukee Torrent 2-2 St Croix Legacy (Legacy win 6-5 on penalty kicks) - Wednesday July 2nd - Uihlein Soccer Park, Milwaukee, WI
While it is not a road game for Torrent, the hosts are based at Uihlein Soccer Park in the north of Milwaukee rather than the more centrally located Hart Park. The 600-mile round trip for the visiting club is three times the longest road trip they had taken in divisional play.
Add to that, the Facility Director told the teams and WPSL that the lights needed to be off at 11:30pm and therefore the match skipped over the usual Extra Time (and any stoppage time) and straight from 90 mins to a penalty shootout.
There was an hour-long delay for lightning before the game even kicked off and the stormy silence was broken by a rough challenge on Leyla Kelbel in the Legacy box, resulting in a penalty kick in the 20th minute. Kelbel's kick was stopped by Johnson but the ball dropped invitingly for the Wisconsinite, who tapped home the rebound.
Five minutes later, Ashlyn Skinner-Barrett broke free and added a second Torrent goal but Legacy were not to be rolled over. Torrent goalie Kate Hopma smothered an initial shot by Wren Van de Walker from the Legacy left but the ball is smuggled home by Amara Smith.
In the 67th minute, Legacy drove down the right, the ball was dribbled across and Wren Van de Walker added a goal to her earlier assist.
It would be last goal in open play as both sides played out a scoreless 20 minutes and then the ground rules got involved.
In the seventh round of PKs, defender Emily Hinze out of Mendota Heights, MN sidefooted the ball past Kate Hopma and the visitors prevailed. It was 11:35pm Central Time.
Speaking to us after the final whistle, St Croix Soccer Club Executive Director Nathan Klonecki said
With the time change, and the lightning delay and the halftime delay and down 0-2, (coming) back that is how they have been all year. It is fun to see that effort and desire pays off!
Coming Up...
St Croix take their place at the Central Regional table for the first time. The hosting assignment is rotated across the Conferences and this year falls with the Midwest Conference, whose winners were Oklahoma City FC. That means a bumper diet of football in the state, first on July 12 and 13th in OKC and then at the National Championships at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, OK the following weekend.
WPSL Wrap Up: Week 6
Wednesday
MN Bliss FC 1-0 Minnesota Dutch Lions
Ella O'Keefe out of Plymouth, MN was the difference maker as she tapped home a corner at the far post after an initial shot was a kick of fresh air. The result places Bliss fourth, equal with a St Croix team that had played two fewer games. Minnesota Dutch Lions, on the other hand, continue their search for their first win.
Friday
Joy Athletic Club 0-4 St Croix Legacy
A dominant midfield performance by the Legacy sees the team from Stillwater area pick off Joy defense with two offside-trap breaking passes around the corner and two late tap ins, totaling two each for Lake Elmo, MN's Amara Smith and two for Shoreview, MN's Tatum Trettel.
Manitou FC 1-4 Mankato United SC
Mandy Elton opened the scoring in the 7th minute but hers would be the only goal for the home side. Local product Ella Huettl, Albertville, MN's Harlee Peltz, Scotswoman Hannah Duncan and St Peter, MN's Grace Dlouhy returned fire for the road team.
Sunday
Mankato United SC 0-2 St Croix Legacy
The visitors took a half-time lead after a Bella Meier free kick from midfield bounced and skipped its way through traffic and over Tea Opitz into the goal. In the 57th minute, Hastings, MN's Meier doubled the team's lead with a sumptuous side foot curler from the edge of the box. Mankato had moments of possession but no penetration into the Legacy box.
Minnesota Dutch Lions 2-0 Manitou FC
The Dutch Lions secured their first win of the season at their last attempt, with well struck goals by Natalia Coury (out of Arizona) and Serene Hamzeh (out of Iowa City, IA).
Coming Up:
The first ever North Lakes Conference Championship, which we look at here.
WPSL North Lakes Conference Championship Preview
FC Milwaukee Torrent v St Croix Legacy - Wednesday July 2nd - 8:30pm, Uihlein Soccer Park, Milwaukee, WI
This is a brand-new conference, and for the teams in the Land of the Lakes Division, it is also the first-ever Conference Final, as the Northern Conference had previously only had one division. Added to that, St Croix Legacy has played twice in the past week to even qualify for the Conference Championship. That scheduling quirk meant that the team from the Eastern side of the Twin Cities metro has played from behind in the standings for almost the entire season, with Salvo and the Thunder squad (who opted out of postseason play) setting the pace at the top and a competitive slate of team performance overall. Tatum Trettel of Shoreview, MN leads the way with 7 goals and Amara Smith from Lake Elmo, MN offering assists and 5 goals of her own.
Nathan Klonecki, Executive Director of St Croix Soccer Club spoke to us after they qualified:
We are excited to represent the North Lakes Conference at the WPSL playoffs next week.
In watching the FC Milwaukee Torrent team they are a strong team and we know it will be difficult but with this Legacy team we will definitely give all of our effort.The St Croix Legacy being in our 3rd year in WPSL we have had seen growth every year on and off the field. The roster is very young and using many of our St Croix SC youth players and then adding other local talent has been a fun season for everyone involved. The coaching staff (Marcos Rodriguez-Sporting Director/Head Coach, Phil Walczak- Asst Coach, and Kate Paetz- GK coach) has done a fabulous job!
In the Lake Michigan Division, it has been a three-way fight for the one spot between FC Milwaukee Torrent, Milwaukee-based Bavarian United and Green Bay Glory. The battle went down to the last week, when Torrent, Bavarians and Glory faced each other directly. It was Torrent that emerged from the gauntlet, shutting out the Glory's division leading offense on their way to an unbeaten regular season. They boast a longer history than Legacy, having joined the WPSL in 2018 and won their Conference in 2023.
Women's Head Coach and Club Owner, Andreas Davi spoke to us before the match:
We are happy that we won the division for four years in a row now and look forward to the conference final. The roster is very deep this year and it will be interesting to see where this journey goes.
WPSL Wrap Up: Week 5
Wednesday
Joy Athletic Club 0-3 Minnesota Thunder
Yet again, it took an hour before the visitors broke through. Still, a right-wing corner was skillfully flicked in at the near post by North Dakota State Bison Kendall Stadden. The second goal came only two minutes later as Minnesota Golden Gopher Paige Kalal tapped home after Concordia St. Paul's Sydney Potter parried a pile driver in the Joy goal. Kalal got a second five minutes later, blasting the ball past Potter from the top of the box after the Goats had repelled a spell of more intricate play.
Saturday
Minnesota Dutch Lions FC 1-1 Mankato United Soccer Club
Two stoppage time goals accounted for all the offense. Mankato United opened the scoring in the third minute of first half stoppage, through North Dakota State's Robyn Moody but their hard-fought win would be canceled out by a Dutch Lion equalizer in the third minute of second half stoppage, Idaho State Bengal Natalia Coury continuing a scarcely believable number of draws for the home team this season, this one being their fourth without a win.
Sunday
Minnesota Thunder 1-1 MN Bliss FC
Thankfully a short road trip for Bliss as they drove up to Eden Prairie for an indoor breakfast meeting with Thunder. The hosts explained to us why the game had been rescheduled:
Given the forecasted extreme heat conditions we decided to move the game indoors at Winter Park to provide a safer environment for players, staff and fans. The earlier KO is a result of field availability.
With all that said, the match finished 1-1, North Dakota State's Loretta Wacek putting Bliss ahead in the 5th minute and Minnesota Golden Gopher Grace Estby equalizing only 5 minutes later. Perhaps it was inevitable that after a couple of late-ish wins, Thunder would drop points somewhere along the line.
Salvo Soccer Club 3-0 Joy Athletic Club
Even in a league like WPSL where re-entry is unlimited, hydration breaks punctuated a night where the heat index went into the triple digits. An intricate goal in the first 10 minutes by South Dakota State Jackrabbit Katelyn Buelke was the only score going into half time, and it took until just short of the hour mark before Illinois State Redbird Maggie Dowling lifted a shot from the top of the area into the roof of the net to make it 2-0. Another blast into the top corner from the top of the box with the last kick of the game by Minnesota Golden Gopher Avery Petty completed the win and kept Salvo on top of the division.
Now they wait to see if St Croix can win both their games in hand and pip them to a playoff spot.
Manitou FC 2-5 St Croix Legacy
Two goals from Kenzie Jacobson (St. Thomas) and singles from Tatum Trettel (also a Tommie) , Brooke Nelson (South Dakota Coyotes) and Emma Johnson carried the Legacy to a win.
Upcoming:
Minnesota Thunder are done for the season, they may still win the Land of the Lakes Division but have opted out of the playoffs. Salvo have played their last regular season game and lead the clubs who have opted-in. However, St Croix have two games in hand on both. They cannot mathematically over take Thunder, but they would still beat Salvo to the playoff berth if they win both their remaining games. We are planning on being in Mankato on Sunday to see if that happens.
Wednesday
MN Bliss FC v Minnesota Dutch Lions
Friday
Joy Athletic Club v St Croix Legacy
Manitou FC v Mankato United SC
Sunday
Mankato United SC v St Croix Legacy
Minnesota Dutch Lions v Manitou FC
And then... the North Lakes Conference Final versus the top team in the Lake Michigan Division.
WPSL Wrap Up: Week 4
Wednesday
Joy Athletic Club 2-0 Mankato United Soccer Club
Lakevillians Ashley Bennett and Brooke Quam were the key pieces in this home victory. Bennett opened the scoring in the 23rd minute with a neat shot that slid under the keeper Ella Lysne from a Quam pass. Quam doubled the lead in the 59th minute, from a Bennett assist to secure a home win for the Goats.
Minnesota Dutch Lions FC 0-2 Minnesota Thunder
Harvard commit and France U-17 international Lou Ruffien put Thunder ahead in the 25th minute and University of Northern Iowa Panther Abby OBrien (out of White Bear Lake, MN) secured the win in the 83rd minute.
Manitou FC 1-2 MN Bliss FC
St Paulite and North Dakota State Bison Loretta Wacek and Bemidji State Beaver Ella Wade, also out of the Twin Cities metro, tipped Bliss over the top against Manitou FC.
Friday
Manitou FC 0-2 Minnesota Thunder
Hastings, Minnesota's Paige Peltier got both goals for Thunder, as they climbed to second in the standings.
Saturday
St Croix Legacy 1-1 Minnesota Dutch Lions FC
A Legacy side short-handed due to Father's Day wrapped up their home slate with a hard-fought win against the Dutch Lions. The visitors have yet to win, but have drawn three times. The visitors opened the scoring in the 63rd minute through Adriana Brenengen's neat strike coming in off the right to blast it underneath Hadley Johnson in the Legacy net. However, the Winona High School kid's go ahead goal would not last as ten minutes later, Legacy attacked down their left, and Lake Elmo, MN's Amara Smith (who goes to Minnesota State -Mankato) slotted calmly past the goalie.
The last drama came in the 81st minute when a Legacy player nipped in ahead of a defender and the two collided. Free kick awarded, 30 yards out. The ball was driven in, and it went into the Dutch Lion net, but as the Legacy players headed back to the center circle for a goal, the Dutch Lions players protested and after an interlude the goal was chalked off for handball but no further action - such as a caution - was taken.
Sunday
Minnesota Thunder 2-0 Mankato United Soccer Club
Mankato United's Tea Opitz stood on her head on the Academy of Holy Angels Stardome field where she played as a kid, anchoring a defense which kept the prolific Thunder off the scoreboard for 70 minutes but in the end, Paige Peltier slotted past Opitz after a pass down the middle by Matigann Vixayvong split the defense open. The second goal was a scramble in the 83rd minute, finished off by the Minneapolis born Wisconsin Badger Kiya Gilliand from a corner kick by Paige Peltier.
MN Bliss FC 0-8 Salvo SC
There were 10 minutes on the clock when Salvo unlocked the Bliss defense, a run down the left culminated in a pass across the top of the box for Davy Mokelke to slide the ball home. An interception in midfield set up the second, again calmly slotted away by Becca Smith in the 17th minute. Bliss had a spell of possession around the 20th minute but Salvo had made it three by the 24th, through Mya Nugent. Mokelke added a fourth before half time.
Salvo salted away the victory with a fifth goal in the 53rd minute when Nugent swooped on the rebound after a spectacular close range save by Sarah Martin. It was 6-0 in the 72nd minute when an interchange down the right ended with the ball being bundled home for an own goal. The seventh goal in the 78th minute by Alma Beaton was a swallow dive from the edge of the area, dipping and swerving past Martin. The eighth went in through Ceilidh Whynott in the 85th minute.
Coming Up:
Wednesday
Joy Athletic Club v Minnesota Thunder
Saturday
Minnesota Dutch Lions FC v Mankato United Soccer Club
Sunday
Minnesota Thunder v MN Bliss FC
Manitou FC v St Croix Legacy
Salvo Soccer Club v Joy Athletic Club
WPSL Wrap Up: Week 3
Wednesday
Salvo SC 1-2 Minnesota Thunder
Thunder hold on to equal the season series with their perennial rivals. Minnesota Golden Gopher Grace Estby accounted for both goals for the visitors, 7 minutes apart from the 57th minute after a scoreless first half, connecting on balls dissecting the left of the Salvo defense. Salvo pushed further forward and secured their only goal of the game on a powerful header by Lauren Eckerle.
St Croix Legacy 2-1 MN Bliss FC
In the ninth minute, Loretta Wacek (North Dakota State Bison) was fouled in the area by Savannah Stockness and Grace Fogarty scored the penalty kick to put Bliss ahead. Tatum Trettel equalized in the 19th minute off a loose ball at the far post. CJ Fredkove scored the winner on the hour mark, blasting a free kick from just outside the penalty area into the side netting.
Saturday
Joy Athletic Club 0-1 Manitou FC
In a matchup of teams struggling for relevance this season, former Minnesota Aurora player Mandy Elton (of Cottage Grove, MN via St Catherines) made the difference in the 75th minute.
Sunday
Minnesota Thunder 5-2 St Croix Legacy
Legacy went ahead in the 11th minute, after a long ball down the middle was dispatched by Lake Elmo, MN's Amara Smith, who plays collegiate ball for MN State Mankato. The home side equalized in the 33rd minute after head tennis from a corner. The decisive blow was made by Blaine, MN's Kendall Stadden, a newly transferred North Dakota State Bison. It was still even at half time.
It took until the 58th minute before Thunder took their first lead of the match, Stadden's former team mate at Minnesota, Paige Kalal, with a free kick, 25 yards out on the left, blasted into the net. Stadden scored her second in the 72nd minute, from a cross down the left from Bella Naples. Legacy threatened to reel in their hosts, as Bella Meyer and Amara Smith setting up Kenzie Jacobson to make it 3-2 only three minutes later. The margin of victory was only inflated by late goals. Lou Ruffien (who goes to Harvard) finished off a Paige Peltier cross. One minute later, Paige Peltier turned scorer, off a Paige Kalal corner.
Mankato United 2-0 MN Bliss FC
A battle in the center of the park, Bliss had a strong claim for a penalty kick in the first half but neither team could finish a chance. In the 57th minute, a center back curls the ball in to Johnson for Mankato, her shot was blocked but Julia Fischer put the rebound in. The game was salted away in the 87th minute, Ella Huettl connected on a defensive miscue by Charlotte Li and put it through the keeper's legs. It was a night for the Mankato locals, as both Huettl and Fischer are from Mankato and playing for MN State Mankato.
Salvo SC 8-0 Minnesota Dutch Lions
The Minnesota Golden Gopher Davy Mokelke of Wayzata, MN has had a red hot start to the season and continued it, with the opening two in this rout of the curiously placed Dutch Lions (who had drawn both their previous ties this season). The third came via the St Thomas Tommie Sophia Barjesteh, from neighboring Woodbury, as she lifted a ball into the top corner from the top of the box. Dominating their right flank produced easy finishes for Ashley Thirk in the 35th minute and Avery Petty in the 38th. It was 5-0 at half time.
A close range blast into the roof of the net for Petty's second of the game in the 58th minute made it six and Sofia Englund scored the seventh on the counter in the 63rd minute. The literal last kick of the game was from Mya Nugent to notch up an eighth. Dutch Lions defense at times did not help the visitors, but Salvo were mostly lethal in their finishing and go back on top of the division.
Coming Up:
Wednesday
Joy Athletic Club v Mankato United Soccer Club
Minnesota Dutch Lions FC v Minnesota Thunder
Manitou FC v MN Bliss FC
Friday
Manitou FC v Minnesota Thunder
Saturday
St Croix Legacy v Minnesota Dutch Lions FC
Sunday
Minnesota Thunder v Mankato United Soccer Club
MN Bliss FC v Salvo SC
WPSL Wrap Up: Week 2
Wednesday
St Croix Legacy 2-1 Salvo SC
St Croix Legacy played back from the kick off to the final whistle, absorbing the much higher line of Salvo's pressure and countering. That strategy netted the go-ahead goal courtesy of a connection between two St Croix locals - a header from Concordia St Paul's Stella Nielsen connecting with ferocity on a corner in the 20th minute from CJ Fredkove, currently going to St Thomas.
Salvo, on the other hand, also seemed wedded to a strategy - high tempo, close passing despite the relentless defense of Legacy in their personal space. The first half was seen out with Sophia Barjesteh peppering corners in to the St Croix area with no finish.
The visitors equalized in the 65th minute after a cross by another Tommie, Sofia Englund was neatly tapped home by Lauren Eckerle of South Dakota State. Salvo pushed further forward, but with the literal last play of the match, CJ Fredkove got her second assist of the contest, with a searching ball down the left wing in stoppage time. Tatum Trettel tight-roped the left sideline and drove towards goal, before slotting the ball past Ayden Gagner in the Salvo net and into the far side netting. The only action left in the match was the final whistle. I think Trettel might still be running.
Friday 30th May
Mankato United SC 1-3 Salvo SC
Riley Lijewski (An Ohio State Buckeye out of River Falls, WI) scored twice - once each from open play and the penalty spot to key an easy victory for Salvo. Katelyn Beulke (out of Hugo, MN and currently a South Dakota State Jackrabbit) also scored for the metro side and Mankato United claimed a consolation from Jade Jackson (one of the many players on the roster who plays for MN State University Mankato).
Minnesota Bliss FC 3-1 Manitou FC
Mergers and co-ops are all over the youth soccer landscape, so I guess it was inevitable that they would impact the next step in the women's football pathway. Minnesota Bliss FC's predecessors and parent clubs reach across the West Metro from Plymouth, Wayzata, Shorewood, Minnetonka, Deephaven to Maple Grove and Brooklyn Park in the Northwest of the Twin Cities. MapleBrook played the Fury in WPSL last season and Tonka Fusion Elite played very successfully in UPSL W. This year, the two clubs joined up to field Bliss FC. The new venture showed a high level of cohesion in their first match, blitzing the visitors from White Bear Lake, MN with incisive passes from midfield through the center of the Manitou FC defense.
30 seconds in, North Dakota State's Loretta Wacek, out of Saint Paul, MN, broke away down the middle and slotted home the opener. An absolute blast from outside the area in the 20th minute by Bemidji State Beaver Ella Wade, who's from Rogers, MN, made it a two goal lead. Manitou's consolation was scored by Madeleine Thompson (who is still a high school student, at White Bear Lake).
Minnesota Dutch Lions FC 1-1 Joy AC
Another club to go through a change this offseason is Rochester United FC, who became the 11th side in the sprawling Dutch Lions FC organization. The home side broke the deadlock in the 45th min, with a blast from Viterbo and Brookfield, WI's Abby Mumm on the edge of the area. Brooke Nast equalized, barely 5 minutes after half time.
Sunday 1st June
Mankato United 1-1 Minnesota Dutch Lions FC
Good cross in from the left by Kiera Laney in the 24th minute, was headed firmly past the Dutch Lions keeper Anna Lundeen by Allie Hartig to put the home side ahead. Abby Mumm is two-in-two, after a wedge over Ella Lynse to equalize in the 63rd minute.
Minnesota Bliss FC 3-0 Joy AC
Driving in from the right, Ella O'Keefe (from Plymouth, MN) slotted past the Joy keeper in the 34th minute for Bliss. The hosts doubled their lead in the 48th minute, a pinball header from Loretta Wacek off a right wing corner. Wacek set up her own second, bursting down the left wing, then popping up in the box to finish the move and make it 3-0.
Minnesota Thunder 1-6 Salvo SC
Unaccountably a blowout victory for the road team. Minnesota Golden Gopher Avery Petty opened the scoring for Salvo after only 4 minutes with a volley from the top of the box past the Colorado Buffalo Brooke Goerish. South Dakota State's Katelyn Beulke then doubled the lead in the 20th minute, weaving her way down the center of the box. Another quarter hour passed, with play going from box to box but neither team scoring before Sofia Barjesteh (St Thomas), teed up and then volleyed into the top corner from the top of the Thunder box.
In the 50th minute, a Thunder ball in from the right saw the attacker in the middle miss her kick and Salvo countered clinically, Salvo's Davy Mokelke (Another Gopher) finishing it off. The fifth goal came only three minutes later, another fast break by Salvo, finished off by Elle Wildman (Iowa) after a defense splitting pass from Molly Fiedler (most recently the Head Coach of St Olaf). Another three minutes went by, and Ashley Thurk (Yet another Minnesota player) made a mazy run and finish, all the way up from right back.
Thunder's sole goal went in the hole after Vivian Rojas-Collins's (most recently Pomona), whipped cross was converted by Kendall Stadden (Former MN Golden Gopher, now a North Dakota State Bison).
All in all, an unusually large margin for Thunder to lose by, but not at all unusual a goal difference for Salvo. They don't have long at all to wait for a rematch.
Coming Up:
Wednesday
Salvo SC v Minnesota Thunder
St Croix Legacy v MN Bliss FC
Saturday
Joy Athletic Club v Manitou FC
Sunday
Minnesota Thunder v St Croix Legacy
Mankato United v MN Bliss FC
Salvo SC v Minnesota Dutch Lions
WPSL kicks off in the Land of the Lakes
Sunday 18th May
St Croix Legacy 4-3 Joy AC
In a back and forth battle, the home team finished on top courtesy of Tatum Trettel's chip of Joy Athletic Club goalie Sydney Potter in the 88th minute. Jillian Brown opened the scoring in the 10th minute for Joy, and Trettel equalized in the 35th minute. Joy went back ahead with 5 minutes left in the half.
After 15 minutes of possession by Legacy and counters by Joy, it was a Legacy counter which created the equalizer. Trettel squaring the ball to Amara Smith in the 6 yard box to make it 2-2. Smith herself then forced the ball off a Joy defender in their penalty area and then broke past Potter to make it 3-2 in the 65th minute. The patterns reasserted themselves for 17 minutes before Sophia King took matters into her own hands and drove down the Joy left before blasting it past Prates in the Legacy goal from the top of the box for the equalizer.
Finally, after scoring the fourth goal, Trettel had a chance in stoppage time to seal her hat trick but Potter pushed it away at full stretch.
Thursday 22nd May
Salvo SC 6-0 Manitou FC
Three goals in six minutes set the seal on a lethal first half display by the hosts. Riley Lijewski headed home from a corner, Elle Wildman finished a neat passage of close passes through the middle of the Manitou defense and Davy Mokelke darted in from the left wing to finish her second. Mokelke had earlier put Salvo ahead, controlling a difficult, bouncing ball into the box before volleying it home.
The second half saw both teams show moments but Salvo again showing some furious finishing, with Davy Mokelke wrapping up a hat trick from the left and Elle Wildman making it a brace from the right.
Coming Up:
Wednesday 28th May
St Croix Legacy v Salvo SC
Friday 30th May
Mankato United SC v Salvo SC
Minnesota Dutch Lions FC v Joy AC
Minnesota Bliss FC v Manitou FC
Sunday 1st June
Mankato United v Minnesota Dutch Lions FC
Minnesota Bliss FC v Joy AC
Gallery: Aurora vs Kansas City Current II Exhibition Match
Women’s Premier Soccer League
Minnesota Aurora FC hosted Kansas City Current II for a preseason exhibition match at TCO Stadium on Sunday, May 18th. Aurora came away with a 2-0 victory after goals by Weslund and Wimes. Here are our photos from the pitch!
The North no longer, WPSL does the hokey-pokey
The clubs and structure for the 2025 WPSL season have been announced.
With the departure of Sioux Falls City and Dakota Fusion (at least for now), the WPSL has taken the opportunity to reorganize (what was) the Northern Conference.
The Northern Conference has steadily grown while remaining an outlier until the point where last season, 10 teams competed for 1 playoff spot. Instead, 2025 will see the debut of the North Lakes Conference. To make the new conference, the Lake Michigan division shifts over from the Midwest Conference, and the remaining teams from the Northern Conference make up the Land of Lakes division.
Come playoff time, the winners of the two divisions will play a Conference Championship for a single spot in the Central Playoffs.
The returning teams in the Land of Lakes division
Salvo SC, who play at University of Northwestern in Roseville, MN, finished second in the North last season and are perennial challengers for a playoff berth.
Prior to Sioux Falls City's emergence, Richfield-based Minnesota Thunder provided a duopoly with Salvo but have consistently declined a playoff spot as a matter of club policy.
Joy Athletic Club are the NPSL arm of the St. Paul-based "free play" non-profit, who have thus far not challenged for a playoff spot.
White Bear Lake's Manitou FC finished the season with one win.
MapleBrook Fury are now MN Bliss , as part of a partnership with the UPSL's Tonka Fusion Elite. Formerly challengers, they endured a 2-2-5 season.
The eastern border of the Twin Cities metro (and the Wisconsin border) brings Stillwater, MN based St Croix Legacy.
Outside of the Metro, there remains Mankato United (who were challengers in the era of Jenny Vetter, but no longer) and Minnesota Dutch Lions (who were previously Rochester United FC)
Small Market, Grand Designs - Sioux Falls City looking to expand
Sioux Falls City's jump to USL-W is an expansion in every sense, as an energized Sporting Director Joe De May told us this evening.
I think when the ownership group started out they had grand designs at that time... Things have evolved and the women's sports landscape has really kind of taken off exponentially.
While WPSL PRO was "right in front of" the club and WPSL "has been a great platform for us, there's a lot of things from the USLW perspective that align a little bit better with what we try to do on our end." That included the ears of sponsors pricking up more at the prospect of D1 as opposed to D3.
The club sees viable expansion models from the men's side, most clearly with Minneapolis City. The top of their organizational pyramid would be a USL Super League professional team, with a professional reserve side in the WPSL PRO and a pre-professional team at the USL-W level.
The WPSL has a clause in its membership manual allowing for a two year "pause", which City are going to take advantage of, before re-opening that branch to "provide that level for those players who, are primarily focused more on their college development, and that's probably going to be the end of their competitive soccer careers."
The more teams, the more opportunities women have to play, but more clubs at more levels offers people a better chance of finding their level instead of warming the bench at a higher level.
How can you provide those players with those opportunities to play at a high level? But still be in a pro environment as well. So we think there's a place for both leagues.
Sioux Falls City is riding a wave but, like a well-coached team on the pitch, its shape remains.
I think it can be adaptable, flexible, but as long as you're keeping your core values and your main priorities at the core, then you're okay. You know, it's when you start bending your core values (that problems occur).
It is both a compressed and a fluid timeline, with a hopeful professional presence from South Dakota by 2027. With the Professional League Standards as they currently are written, division 1 women's leagues need 75% of their teams in TV markets of 750,000 - which Sioux Falls is not. Super League's got eight teams, but they have two teams that are underneath that 750,000 so they're right at the 75%.
We're cheering for more big cities to join because even if we were already in 2025 to do that, unless they had another big city join the league to offset another small market club like us coming on board, we couldn't do it.
De May is firm in his resolve that the club expands according to its needs rather than because of a league, with every league a possible destination for their sides. He is however, also insistent that they have an ongoing and healthy relationship with WPSL.
We just think that both leagues have something to offer and we're trying to navigate that the way through that to make it happen and At this point, we felt we needed to make the jump to USLW to do that with clearly stating to WPSL, hey, our intention is not to leave you.
In fact, De May foresees some professional reserve teams in the WPSL PRO.
I think that's a very sustainable path for the league. We envision ourselves taking part in that.
We will be watching. Stay tuned to our coverage.