On Friday, Oct. 31, Girls’ Soccer fell 1-0 to Mahtomedi in the Class AA State Soccer Tournament. They finish second in the state. Despite controlling possession and keeping the ball in the Zephyrs’ half, goalkeeper Harlow Berger’s 12 saves and a controversial goal resulted in defeat for the Bears. A shot by Mahtomedi’s Elise Aflakpi hit both goal posts before rolling out into the hands of Bears’ goalkeeper Reese Aafedt ’27. The referee ruled the shot a goal believing the ball crossed the goal line between post hits. The call was met with anger. Many believed the ball never crossed the line and Mahtomedi received a goal that didn’t actually go in.
The standout performance of the game was Berger. Aafedt, following the game, remarked, “It just seemed like she was everywhere in the net.” She continued, “She had such good footwork to be able to get to any ball, and she used her height as a strength.” Despite a barrage of shots from Livi Abboud-Young ‘27, Lauren Breyer ‘29, and others, none crossed the line, leading to groans from the crowd at near-misses.
Head Coach Jocelyn Keller stated, “I thought we had an excellent game,” but admitted, “We couldn’t put it away .” She narrated, “[As the game progressed] I think people get winded and tired in our central middies did a lot of work.” Among the standout performances in midfield were Ellen Rippe ‘29 and Anna Breyer ‘29.
As the shot of the controversial goal spilled out, Aafedt attempted to continue play as if nothing had happened. She narrated, “I thought it was going completely wide, and then it hits the post, and then it hits the other post.” After the shot, she explained, “I wanted to decide whether it was a goal or not… [by] playing faster.” In the end, she acknowledged, “I personally didn’t think it went in, but it was called otherwise.” Alongside her, fans in the student section were befuddled by the referee’s call, with ensuing chants of “Ref, you suck” and “Get some glasses” echoing around the stadium.
The Bears forced many corners and pressed for an opportunity to equalize with the clock winding down. Mahtomedi played defensively and narrowly escaped with the win for the state championship. In reflection, Senior captain, Jane Stanchfield ‘26 said, “The team has changed so much since my first year, and it’s been so fun to get to know everyone.” Looking towards next year, she said, “I have full confidence that next year they will get to the same spot, even further.” She praised the team chemistry, stating, “[It] is a mental game as much as it is a physical game.”
Four Bears were named to the Class AA State All-Tournament Team: Rippe, Lauren Breyer, Charley Bowles ‘26, and Abboud-Young. They improved massively this year, as last year they lost to Orono in the section championship. University of Minnesota commit Abboud-Young finishes with an unprecedented 34 goals on the season. As the season concludes, the girls finish with 18 wins, one loss, and four draws, improving one win from last year. Next year, all eyes will be on a return to US Bank stadium for a state championship.
