This 2021 season the BSM girls’ soccer team, nicknamed the Kittens, finished with an impressive record. In their regular season the team won 13 of their 14 games, tying one, and earned themselves the title of conference champs. 

This past Tuesday, the Kittens took on the Orono girls’ soccer team at home in a heated section final game. The teams competed for a spot in the Minnesota State High School soccer tournament. Both teams played fearlessly, but the BSM girls’ soccer team dominated play and possession. The girls played the regular two forty-minute halves which resulted in a tie, zero to zero. This led the kittens to another set of ten minute over-time halves resulting in the same outcome: still zero to zero. 

To break the tie, two teams then headed into penalty kicks. Each team sent five players to kick a penalty shot in a strategic order; the team who is shooting rotates every shot. The best of five goals wins, so there is a possibility not every player who is sent up will get to shoot. Senior Kaia Ballinger began for the Kittens, scoring elegantly. Not long after Orono sent their first player to shoot, whose kick was saved by sophomore keeper, Olivia Olson. 

Next up for the Red Knights was senior captain Sydney Dress. Dress’s kick entered the goal effortlessly. Orono’s second player shot and kicked the ball wide of the goal to the left. Shortly afterwards, senior captain Elizabeth Dietzen made her way to the goal box, sending the ball into the back of the net for another successful Red Knight goal. 

Orono sent their third player to the net; this player shot and scored. To seal their victory the Kittens confidently sent up senior and multisport athlete, Tilly Wolfe. Wolfe shot and scored, affirming the Red Knight’s win. “I was just happy that I wasn’t the one to miss because everyone before me had made it but once I realized that we won, I was super excited,” Wolfe said.

The BSM Kittens won their section last year in the 2020 season, but due to the pandemic there was no state tournament. This makes this win extra meaningful for the team as well as the entire BSM community. Out of the 19 players on the team 11 are seniors, not including the two senior managers. “What makes this season so special for me, obviously, my senior year, but we’re just finishing the job because we would have gone to state last year so that’s just special for us,” senior Ava Wagener said.

Although the game was especially special for seniors, winning a section final is exciting for everyone.  “The section championships are always fun. I’ve never gotten to go to state before, since last year and COVID there was no state. So I think it will be a cool experience,” Olson said.