From the vantage point of: Anaya Edwards, Miriam Szijarto,,Savannah Singh, Mia Maruna, and Ashley Rainho.
The Notre Dame College Women's soccer team has been on a roll. "I have really enjoyed playing for Coach (Mike) Shiels and Coach (Rob) Miller at NDC. I think they are incredibly knowledgable and their many years of experience are very apparent, NDC forward," Mia Maruna said.
"Playing for Coach Shiels has been a very positive experience so far," NDC midfielder Savannah Singh mentioned. I admire how he respects and values my opinions, and how he makes the hard decisions when it is for the betterment of the team. I like that he is very competitive and wants to win, because I want to win too."
I was extremely nervous and hesitant to transfer, from both an athletic and academic as well as a social standpoint," Maruna explained. "Luckily the transition was very easy for me because my roommate Savannah was in the exact same situation as I was. The team and NDC students as a whole, were very welcoming. The biggest adjustment off the field was just getting to know new people and on the field was adjusting to a different teams playing style. European and American coaches play a very different game."
First Team All Mountain East Conference (MEC) Forward Miriam Szijarto had this to say about the coaches:
"Playing for the coaching staff at NDC is a positive experience and I feel like I can play soccer at the best of my ability. At Walsh, the style we played took away my strengths but my coaches here utilize it. They allow me to play in my style and support me. Shiels and Rob help our team feel more compatible on the field through dynamic practices and have made me a better player."
Singh gave the next thought:
"My departure from Wisconsin Green Bay had nothing to do with the academic or social environment there, as it was quite good. It was the lack of positivity, professionalism and support within the teams leadership team that feel significantly short. Coach Shiels was very patient and supportive during the transfer process and has created an atmosphere that is founded on respect, honesty, and truth."
Szijarto then gave her thoughts about being in a similar situation:
"Being a student-athlete at Walsh was very different than my current experience. The team atmosphere is what I was looking for and was never able to find at Walsh. I feel more supported by the team and have more support in academics as well. There wasn't a safe place at Walsh where I could go when I needed it, but my team and the staff here at NDC was able to show me support mentally, physically, and emotionally."
I found NDC," NDC All-MEC Second Team Defender/Forward Anaya Edwards mentioned. "I wanted to stay close to home and saw that NDC had a good program."
Maruna and Singh talked recruiting:
"I was recruited by Coach Shiels in December of 2022 when I entered the transfer portal. He found me, Maruna said.
"When I entered the transfer portal in 2022 my coach from Canada reached out to Coach Shiels to let him know. Coach Shiels then reached out to me and made me an offer to join the NDC team," Singh explained.
Szijarto had more to say about the recruiting process:
"There was a lot that went into my recruiting process, being a transfer. My coach and the NDC staff were extremely helpful and reliable when it came to admissions and transferring over my transcripts. Coach Shiels reached out to me after entering the transfer portal and was eager to get me on the team. He connected with the staff and helped me through all the steps that it took to get me into the school and onto the team. I feel very welcomed and supported by the team and the school."
Maruna told me she started playing organized soccer when she was three years old. Edwards informed me that she was about five or six when she started playing. She wanted to be a cheerleader but her mom said no so she started playing soccer after seeing her sister play. "Here I am 16 years later still playing soccer," she said.
Then Maruna talked about meeting everyone:
"I first met Anaya when I transferred last semester and we became quick friends and spent a lot of time together during the spring. I met Sophia (Motolese) when we moved in this year, along with her sister Olivia, both of whom are my roommates and we all became quick friends as well."
She continued: "Sophia and Anaya are reliable, hardworking, and supportive teammates both on and off the field."
Singh talked relationships:
"Well first I would have to talk about my friend Mia. We were both transferring midterm from similar situations and became roomies. We met on moving day and became fast friends. She was kind, funny, and we found we had a lot in common and that remains the same as we are still friends and roomies. I first met Anaya in spring when I came and she was very nice and we hit it off. She quickly became a part of my social group outside of soccer. I also met Miriam in spring and thought she is quiet, she was always a positive person to be around."
Then she talked the biggest lesson she learned at NDC:
"I would say that the biggest lesson that I have learned is to respect the value of communication and organization. I have a difficult school workload that often collides with practices and games. My coaches and my teachers have shown me that they can be very accommodating of those conflicts as long as I communicate with them in advance. It has taught me how important it is to remember that respect is a two way street."
Rainho, who is an All-MEC Second Team midfielder talked about when she met a few teammates:
"The first time I met those girls was on day one of pre-season in the Falcon Cafe, yet we did not have a conversation. I think we completed a few passes together with each other before we got to know one another, so soccer played a big part in the comfort of the introduction."
Szijarto talked about meeting the others:
"When I first met Anaya, Mia, Savannah, and Ashley, I remember thinking they were genuine people and very talented soccer players. I only have had positive encounters with each of them and know I can go to them for support."
Rainho talked about what she has learned at NDC:
"I have learned a lot from Coach Shiels and Professor Rusek. Rusek is the professor who I speak to the most and he always engages with me about soccer. From that, I learned how important it is to have resources of older people who are interested in helping you both on and off the field, and in the classroom. Connections are important especially down the line."
Edwards then gave a few thoughts:
"After tearing my ACL I didn't want to continue playing. I thought I would come back weaker and not be as good as I was. It was also hard sitting on the sidelines either being a ball girl or just not playing and seeing everyone else enjoying the games. Coming back from the ACL injury I think I am much stronger and way better than my freshman self. The biggest adjustment I would say is figuring out how everyone plays. We have a handful of new girls than previous years so adjusting to how people play and who connects with whom is tricky. We know we are a good team and we can beat every team we play against. We just have to keep working with each other. We have to keep our heads up when things don't go our way and help each other to do better."
Maruna talked about the new players this season:
"We have quite a few new players on the team this year. It makes Savannah and I feel a little bit less out of place as this fall was our first semester and fall season at NDC as well."
Edwards talked about when she scored:
"It was fun to score but I think it is more fun to get that win that comes with it. We didn't start the season how we wanted to. Getting a win was a good feeling and makes the energy higher through the team."
Singh talked about the frontline:
"Our frontline certainly offers a very talented yet diverse group of players. What can I say about Miriam, she seems to have a pure enjoyment of the game and plays with such a carefree nature that enables her to make amazing finishes in very intense moments. You could never imagine that a player with such a tenacity on the field could be so quiet and mild mannered off the field. Louisa (Follert) is a leader, who plays with confidence, logic, and composure. She is a calming presence on the field who plays with great insight. KB (Kalie Blaising) is a super talented player, wrapped up in an intense bundle of competitive energy that often ups the level of intensity in games when we need it. She always looks for the shot and is entertaining both on and off the field. I would be remiss if I didn't include Ashley who is the most technically skilled player on our team. We continue to benefit from her ability to improvise and generously distribute the ball to provide scoring opportunities."
Rainho answered the same question:
"Playing with Miriam, Louisa, Anaya, and Mia is always a fun time. I have a lot of trust in them and their ability to create an impact on the game. Anaya assists in holding the back line down, meanwhile, Miriam and Louisa are a great two to keep up top and feed balls to. Their impact on scoring goals in the final third is massive for our team."
Then Rainho talked about the turning point as a team:
"I think the turning point was the beginning of our win streak mid-season. It provided the momentum we needed to drive us in the right direction after a bit of a slow start."
Szijarto agreed:
"I thin k the turning point for our team was a shift in attitude. We started off slow and frustrated but learned to stay positive and to encourage others going forward. We started having faith in each others abilities and working together better. I believe having the right mindset is the key to being successful as a player and a team. The biggest improvement in my game was gaining more confidence in turning and taking people on 1 v 1. Being at Walsh, they style of play was indirect, and my purpose on the field was to one- touch the ball back to the midfield to go forward. I was not successful as this took away my strengths of turning and taking players on. I lost a huge amount of confidence in myself, and it took me a long time to get it back. The coaching and style of soccer we play at NDC allowed me to start playing like myself again and I regained all my confidence."
Szijarto talked about the offense:
"The offense on our team is able to work for each other and we don't play as individual players. We help each other to help our team succeed. We have players like Ashley and Mia who can keep the ball, take people on 1 v 1, and get the ball moving forward. Madi Marino and KB are also an important asset to our offense. They are both great on the ball, have excellent speed, and get the game moving. Louisa is always in the right place at the right time and knows when and where to place the ball. Another one of her strengths is being able to stay calm and keep possession of the ball. This reduces turnovers and has created a lot of success going forward. These players always give it 100 percent and make a huge difference on the field. A person is only as good as their team, and I would not have gotten this far without my teammates. They are all extremely talented and I owe my success and goals to them. Soccer is a team sport, and my success is due to my team's hard work and talent."
Edwards talked about the team:
"We know we are a good team and we can beat every team we play against. We just have to keep working with each other. We have to keep our heads up when things don't go our way and help each other to do better."
Maruna gave the next thought:
"I think being moved to the 9 position (this is a striker or center forward and is depended on for goals by their teammates. They occupy 1/3 of the pitch when their team is in possession, looking to connect with other attacking players , to create and finish chances.) This has contributed to me scoring so far this season along with some new things I have learned about the position itself from both Coach Shiels and Coach Miller."
Edwards talked about Szijarto:
"Playing with Miriam has been something we needed. Her scoring a lot this season is good for us."
Maruna talked turning the corner:
"The biggest thing that had to happen for this team to turn the corner was to play less individualistically and to focus on the team aspect of the game. Which we did."
Singh gave her thoughts on the season:
"I don't really think there was one point in the season as we seem to continue to turn different corners. After the first four games we adjusted to play a less defensive style of play. This opened up more scoring opportunities. Coach Shiels has had to deal with a lot of new players and it has been an ongoing process of establishing the best lineup and format on the field. Though we are doing well, I believe there will still be more adjustments to come. I feel that my control and distribution skills have improved since Coach Shiels has afforded me the opportunity to play in the middle. I have played predominantly as an attacking fullback, but now I am finding new confidence and enjoying the new position. I think we definitely have the talent to reach the NCAA tournament. It will depend heavily on work ethic and communication on the field. This is something we will struggle with. I hope that we have learned through the games we have lost and won that we have the ability to beat any team in the MEC. We simply need to come into each game knowing that we can win and play that way. Standings and rankings don't mean anything, it all depends on what team shows up, plays with confidence, and heart to win. We have the talent. We need to bring the mental game to match it."
Rainho gave her thoughts on the road ahead:
"I feel much more connected with my ability as a soccer player with the assistance of great players around me. I am not a solo achiever, I strive best when connecting and passing with other players, and having the right level of like-minded players on this team is what helped me grow in the most natural way for me, without having to play a style that is unfamiliar. Becoming a conference champion is feeling more and more realistic as each game goes by, we are ending the season strong, and I think that if we play our best, we will be untouched within this conference. An NCAA tournament berth would be nice, and I think we would grow given the opportunity to compete with the best of the best. The MEC is a solid conference with quality teams, and I think a one and done scenario in the conference tournament would be heartbreaking. This is why we have to get ourselves in the best scenario seed-wise to be confident in securing the win in. that first conference tournament game, and then take that momentum into the next game."
Szijarto talked about a life lesson that she learned:
"A life lesson that I have learned here is that quitting is never the answer. No matter how much hope you think is lost, you can go to where you want to be as long as you are willing to work for it. I will continue to use this lesson as I go forward with my academic and athletic career."
Szijarto talked about the team:
"I believe my team is extremely capable of making it completely through the NCAA tournament and winning with the right mindset and hard work, well will accomplish this. The competition in the MEC has prepared us for the tournament and showed us where we have to be. We have to be ready to give our all against these good teams that we are going to be competing against. We had a rough patch but this isn't going to stop us from competing to the best of our ability."
The Notre Dame College Falcons (10-4-3 9-4-1 MEC) are the second seed in the MEC North Division and will host the third seed in the South West Virginia State Yellow Jackets (10-5-3 9-3-3 MEC) in the MEC Quarterfinals. First kick is set for 1 PM tomorrow (Sunday) on Mueller Field.
MEC Quarterfinals (Sunday:)
#4 North Fairmont State (7-9-2 5-8-1 MEC) at #1 South University of Charleston (15-0-3 13-0-2 MEC) 1 PM
MEC Semifinals (Wednesday November 8:)
Winner 4 North/1 South vs Winner 2 North/3 South
Winner 1 North/4 South vs Winner 2 South/ 3 North
MEC Finals (Sunday November 12:)
Semifinal Winners
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