We all have our favorite sports, whether they be something rough and rowdy like football or recreational like bowling. As a fan of all sports, I love watching and cheering for athletes that I admire, but I also support my friends and classmates. Some of my favorite athletes are our very own Oles. With the fall season already underway, it’s clear that the teams wearing black and gold are already performing up to their high expectations.
When the leaves begin to change colors, one of the most action-packed sports becomes the center of sports-discussion at all skill levels. I’m talking about football, of course. Our Ole men began the season with two non-conference wins. This past weekend brought the first conference battle over the coveted Troll Trophy. Concordia beat the Oles 28-14 and took the Troll Trophy home for the third time in the past four years. The guys are 2-1 in overall play and 0-1 in conference play, and they are looking ahead to the Homecoming game versus Gustavus on Saturday, September 22 at 1 p.m.
Though women’s volleyball posts a record of 4-9, they recently came off of a team high. By beating Bethel in the first MIAC match of the season, the Oles still maintain a conference record of 1-0 as of last week. “We have five seniors this year, so our ambition to have a winning season is strong,” Captain Melissa Burch ’13 (and Cooking on Campus writer) said. “We have played a very tough schedule so far, playing in tournaments with basically all nationally ranked teams. We have high expectations for conference play, and we’re so excited to get our first win against Bethel under our belts last week.”
The men’s cross country team placed second in the St. Olaf Invite on Saturday, September 15, while the women’s team took first place. The Ole women runners were nationally ranked twelfth in the USTFCCCA Division III pre-season poll, while the men were ranked fourteenth. Both running squads are expected to succeed this fall.
Both soccer teams took home victories on Saturday. Senior Captain Annie Manning had a goal and an assist as the women beat St. Mary’s 2-0, allowing the Oles to maintain an undefeated conference record of 2-0.
On the men’s side, the team was able to shut out St. Mary’s 5-0, giving the team a 1-0-1 conference record. Senior Captain Austin Dressen spoke about the team’s plans on building upon last year’s successful season: “Last season was great, and it set the bar high for us this fall,” he said. “Although we are taking it one game at a time, we aim to win the MIAC again, make it back to the NCAA tournament and utilize our players, both old and new, to take home the national championship.” The men’s team travels to Carthage College in Wisconsin on September 21 for a non-conference tilt.
It’s great to see our teams dominating the MIAC already! Make sure you get out there and show some support for St. Olaf sports on game day!