Ashland Girls Soccer Embracing Underdog Role Heading Into Second Straight State Tournament
The state semifinal between Ashland and Plymouth is set for this Friday at Uihlein Soccer Park in Milwaukee. Kickoff is set for 1:00 p.m.
ASHLAND, Wis. – After missing out on last season, the Ashland girls soccer team was extra motivated to make this year count. It paid off, as they’re headed back to their second straight state tournament and overall seventh appearance in program history.
“We felt like we could compete for a state title so when we knew we were going to have this season and were granted some contact days, we took full advantage of them,” head coach Jonny BeBeau said.
Most of this year’s squad started on that 2019 state team, so the Oredockers feel they know what to expect going into this week.
“We were nervous our first year when we went to state our sophomore year but this year, we’re more confident being on the field,” defender Gina Kempf said.
“Every team I’ve brought, their first trip I feel like they’re kind of an awe of the environment whereas this team, they’ve been there before,” BeBeau added.
Ashland drew the No. 4 seed in Division 3 and will face the top seed Plymouth in the state semifinals. But this is nothing the Oredockers aren’t used to.
“We don’t really pay attention to that because we know that we’re better than that and that’s just what we get voted but we just like to show up everybody and show that we’re more than just a small school,” midfielder Abbi Moreland said.
“I think that in a way, that helps us. We go in as an underdog and have everything to gain and other teams have everything to lose,” BeBeau added.
Now they’re hoping to use this experience to not only take home their first state championship, but to also win their first ever game at state.
“That’s been keeping us driven the whole year like we really just want to get this first win,” Moreland said.
“We’ve had great teams in the past who have laid a foundation and a tradition of winning here and it would be great for not only this team but it would be great for our community and for the girls who have gone and played before us,” BeBeau added.
The state semifinal between Ashland and Plymouth is set for this Friday at Uihlein Soccer Park in Milwaukee. Kickoff is set for 1:00 p.m.
