by Kevin Kyle, Photos by Travis Gallipo
Here, there and… everywhere.
The Sioux Falls City Football Club has made strong moves on the pitch and in the community this week, winning matches, fighting for causes and expanding its brand.
Although it didn’t quite get a full home-opener do over Wednesday night at Bob Young Field in Sioux Falls, City treated its fans to a solid 3-0 victory over visiting Rochester FC – in a weather-shortened USL W Heartland Division match. City players also took the opportunity to rally for one of their causes, IDEA, and promote the pre-professional soccer team within the community at the Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce Business & Fair mixer Tuesday evening.
After seeing the side earn an undesirable forfeit in its scheduled home opener against RKC Third Coast, June 1 at the ‘Bob,’ City fans were excited for Wednesday night’s tilt versus Rochester FC – a team it beat 3-1, May 29 at Rochester Community & Technical College in Rochester, MN. And though the second clash between the Central Conference clubs didn’t go the distance, being officially called after one half of play due to an active thunderstorm, City tallied three goals in 45 minutes of action to improve to 5-0-2 (15 points) on the season.
What began as a stiff midfield battle, quickly turned into an impressive offensive spectacle by the hosts in the 13th minute of play.
Collecting a loose ball in City’s defensive third, SFCFC veteran midfielder Mali Van Meeteren promptly initiated a potent counterattack with a 35-yard pass to striker Hailee Christensen – checking back from midfield. The Sioux Falls native turned with the ball in the right channel to see two options forward, Mia Mullenmeister to her right and Katharina Oelschlaeger dashing toward the slot to her left.
Christensen chose the second option and delivered a piercing, well-weighted pass to a streaking Oelschlaeger 25-yards out from goal. The Meerbusch, Germany native ran onto the pass, pushed the ball to her right – around RFC goalkeeper Emma Knack – and easily knocked the ball into an open goal for a 1-0 City advantage.
It wasn’t long, a mere 12 minutes, before Oelschlaeger and City were raising their arms in celebration once more.
The energized hosts once again worked the ball down the right side, where Mullenmeister crossed to Oelschlaeger at the top of the box. The crafty striker spun away from a pair of RFC defenders and simply placed the ball where Knack wasn’t –lifting City to 2-0 lead on 25 minutes.
“I ran onto a good pass from Hailee, and had a good step to trick the goalkeeper,” said Oelschlaeger of the first goal of her brace. “I thought she’d come out, but she didn’t. The second one, I got lucky in the box. Mia gave me a good pass from out wide, and I was able to turn. I knew the goalkeeper was probably in the wrong corner, so I was able to snap it in without looking. It was a really good team performance tonight.”
Rochester FC had a golden opportunity to whittle the deficit in half on 37 minutes when left wing Savannah Frisby ran onto a back-header by City’s Taylor Thomas, off a long ball from the RFC defense. Frisby proved first to the bouncing ball, but an onrushing Campbell Fischer snared her header to preserve what ended up being a City shutout.
With the temperature cooling and the skies darkening, City capped what would be the only half of play on the night with a goal by incoming midfielder Madie Donovan on 43 minutes.
Another well-worked offensive rush saw Oelschlaeger once again poised for a pop at the top of the box. Her initial efforts went for naught, but an alert Donovan ran onto drop-back pass 16 yards from net and slipped the ball under an outstretched Knack to complete the scoring and City’s 3-0 victory.
As the players took to the locker rooms at the interval, the City faithful took to their vehicles under gray, lightning-filled skies. After several, restarted, 30-minute delays, the game was officially called off – around the time it was originally slated to conclude.
However, City had completed what it set out to do – on and off the pitch.
Prior to the game, several City players issued their views on recent immigration policy – as part of ‘IDEA night,’ at the ‘Bob.’” With attention being brought to Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accessibility, players donned t-shirts and held up signs supporting recent protests of ICE raids and other issues within IDEA’s scope.
“What I like about this club is we stand for things and play for causes and not just to play a game,” said veteran City player Lulu Moreno, who captained the club Wednesday night. “The fact that we are able to use this platform to voice what we’re feeling, putting it out there and letting people know that this is who we are, and this is what we stand for, is pretty cool. The owners and staff give us liberty to voice things how we want.
“I got together with Taylor and I don’t know if you saw Taylor’s story (on socials), but she made a t-shirt that expressed what she wanted to say about the riots in L.A. I invited my teammate Iyan (Hernandez goalkeeper), who is Mexican like I am, to stand with me and represent our country and let everyone know we see and feel what’s going on. We want to give them our support and not stay quiet… stand for what’s right. And human rights are right. I feel honored to be able to voice what’s hurting me and weighing heavy on my heart.
And at a time when voicing an opinion or even being seen as having an opinion, might put one in harm’s way, City players know they’re supported by the club in speaking up.
“I had no fear of even asking about who might join me because I knew, 100 percent, I’d get full support from everyone,” added Moreno. “Again, when we brought it to owners and staff, they let it be known that anyone who wanted to participate could participate and no one was being forced to participate. If it doesn’t resonate with you, it doesn’t resonate.”
For southern California native and rugged veteran defender Mo Malone, currently out of the lineup with a high-ankle sprain, recent demonstrations of force by local and national agencies in Los Angeles have hit home.
“Inclusivity, diversity, equity and accessibility is a big thing for me personally,” said Malone. “With the ICE raids going on in Los Angeles… that stands out for me. As a white female and a California native, it’s sad to see that people of any color are being treated poorly. It stands true to me. I want to show who we are as a club, and it’s great that we can say how we feel and try to help people in need – people who don’t necessarily have a voice.”
And City is striving to continue to have its collective voice heard throughout Sioux Falls, and beyond, as it attempts to broaden its base. Owners, its CEO and players alike extended City’s hand from its booth at the Sioux Falls Chamber of Commerce Business & Fair mixer, Tuesday evening at the Best Western Ramkota Exhibit Hall in Sioux Falls.
“Oh yeah, it was fun; it was a great experience, especially as a player and an intern – working with Sherri Meyers (SFCFC CEO),” said striker Hanna Schimmer. “I learned a lot speaking with other people and listening to how Sherri speaks with people. The set-up was fun, it looked good, and it was great event all around.
“Reaching out to all these different people, talking and networking, brings the community an awareness. We’re trying to get our name out there more, promote our upcoming games and what we do. A couple of people came up and said, ‘Oh, what is this?’ They just didn’t know we existed. So, this was a good event to bring awareness to our team, our causes and our organization.”
City will be back in action, on the field, Saturday night (7 p.m.) when it hosts Chicago City Dutch Lions in a Heartland Division clash, while off the field the club will participate in an Intro to Sioux Falls event at Great Shots, Thursday evening, June 19, to learn more about the various neighborhoods, activities, attractions and resources in town from new and lifelong residents.
This is OUR City!