On-field opponents aren’t the only obstacle for the 2001 Albert Lea American Legion U-18 girls’ soccer team.

Friday, June 22, 2001

On-field opponents aren’t the only obstacle for the 2001 Albert Lea American Legion U-18 girls’ soccer team.

There’s a numbers crunch.

Injuries, one of them season-ending, have left the squad with only 10 players. They’ve compensated with some help from the U-15 team and, according to coach Bob Levisen, a tremendous attitude.

The girls dropped a pair of games this week, falling 4-1 to Lakeville Thursday at Hammer field after a 4-3 setback at Eden Prairie Tuesday. It left the squad with a record of 1-1-2.

&uot;These girls are working hard,&uot; said Levisen. &uot;They really are working hard. We just haven’t been able to finish. Tonight, we dominated the first half but they stuck a couple quick ones in. That’s just the way she went.&uot;

Brooke Plantage scored the lone goal Thursday.

Plantage scored twice Tuesday while her sister Brianne, playing up from the U-15 team, score the other goal. Also playing from the U-15 team were Katie Stenseth and Breanna Millhouse.

Libby Berg, Holly Nelson, Sarah Giebel and Nicole Serrano were strong defensively. Mariah Levisen, Mandy Wangen, Laura Olson and Steph Sigurdson contributed to the offense. Julia Stapleton was the goalie.

Levisen, who said he has some outstanding assistants in Max Beers, Jens Levisen and Grant Neitzell, said the only thing the team is lacking at this point is confidence.

&uot;The girls have the ability, the energy, the will to win, everything like that,&uot; said Levisen. &uot;They just need to get some confidence.&uot;