Monday was a long but fruitful day for the St. Scholastica women’s soccer team, Coach Dave Reyelts said in an e-mail message to the HowieBlog.com early Tuesday.
“We started at 8 a.m. with practice and just rolled in around midnight from a scrimmage at Macalester in St. Paul,” said Reyelts, the Saints’ ninth-year coach.
“The morning session went well as players got touches on the ball and we made some final preparations for scrimmages at Macalester. Mac is a perennial powerhouse and their coach John Leaney is a legend in the DIII coaching ranks. Lucky for me he is also a friend and mentor. We have been running a scrimmage with our full team for the last three seasons and have found it to be an excellent litmus test for our season. Today was no different as we went down to St. Paul for three 45-minute periods of scrimmages.”
The first session matched the young players from both St. Scholastica and Macalester.
“It was a bit sloppy at first with players from both sides clearly a little nervous,” said Reyelts. “As the session progressed, play calmed down and quality stuff came from both sides. Local players Amanda Smerz (East H.S.) and Lisa Hoium (Hermantown H.S.) stood out with solid performances.
“The second session mixed in some older players for both sides and resembled a bit more of a college varsity contest. We carried the play for most of the session and created a number of excellent chances. Local players Ellyn Litecky and Jen Krokum (both from Duluth East) and Beth and Megan Flesvig (Proctor) played well as the Saints controlled almost all of the play.
“The third session started out with both teams putting their best 11 on the field and seeing how they matched up. Both sides looked good and
created 5-6 good chances each. Mac capitalized on a couple of their chances and Saints learned that finishing is something to work on at practice! Overall, it was a good experience and will serve as an excellent teaching tool as we move forward into the season.”
Thoughts from the Edge
The Saints will open the 2008 season in five days.
“We are getting healthy and look poised to make another good run this season,” Reyelts said.
Saints Soccer Notes
Reyelts said it was tough to miss the Saints first-ever football practice on Monday.
“There was a buzz in the air all day as coaches and players prepared for their first session,” said Reylets. “It is funny, because soccer and football coaches aren’t supposed to get along — at least that is what they tell me — but some of my best friends in coaching are football coaches. Names like Huie, Moores, Bodin, Forbort, Forbort and Strand come to mind. Like those guys, these football coaches are hard not to like I hope things go well for them and I hope today was as awesome as they have hoped it would be for two years now!”
