Plenty of Positives in 2010

By Ashley Haines, Jenks freshman

TAHLEQUAH, Okla. --- Finishing 3-5-3 in the Lone Star Conference, Northeastern State University improved their record from last year with a slew of new freshmen thrown into the mix.  

Starting off strong, and ending with that same strength, the solid team has high hopes for next year’s conference games. 

With the final not going the way Northeastern State had hoped, there was still good news to come. Three players were recognized in the Lone Star Conference postseason awards.  Rachel Sordahl, Pryor sophomore, was recognized on the All-Lone Star Conference Second Team as a forward, while Melissa Michelsen, Plano, Texas junior, was Honorable Mention as a defender, and Deb Hill, Lafayette, La. junior, was honorable mention as goalkeeper. 

It is without a doubt that these girls made an impact while on the team this season.  When asked, looking back, how the team did this year, Deb Hill said, “the team did better than last year, but we have national tournament potential that we didn’t reach.” 

With nothing but the thought of improvement looming, Hill explained how she wants nothing less than the best from this team. 

Although it came as no surprise to the rest of the team, and others playing against her, Michelsen was honored to find herself recognized in the Lone Star Conference postseason awards for the second time since attending Northeastern State. 

“I am very humbled that I was recognized again this year,” she said. 

Sordahl elaborated on her award as well.

“I think I earned a spot on the All Conference team because of all the support I had from my teammates and Coach Wooten," Sordahl said. "I was fortunate to score goals but I had those opportunities because of my teammates. Soccer is a team sport and it takes everyone playing hard for someone to be recognized with conference honors. I really cannot thank my teammates enough.”

All three have high expectations next year's team, and with no graduating seniors, those three will provide leadership in achieving next season’s goals. 

“Next year the team will be even better and more mature than this year," said Hill. "No one is graduating and our younger players will have a year of excellent college experience under their belts.” 

Michelsen, already a captain, says, “My aspirations of the team next year are high. It is my last year and I think we have really good talent. It took us awhile to mesh on the field with each other this year because we had so many new players, but we started to play really well with each other at the end of the season. If we start out the way we played at the end of this season, we will be a good team.” 

Rachel, the youngest to achieve an award on the team, agrees with Michelsen, and adds that she wants to “go for a championship.” 

Hill sums the teams goals up perfectly, “My aspirations are (to qualify for) the national tournament and nothing less.” 

With players like these, Northeastern State is well on its way.