ABOVE: Front row (l-r): Lillyan Matheson, Lexi Hill, Abby Martinez-Nunez, Bethenny Long, Ellie Steuer, Mya Hinz, Elin Scheppman, Nat Johnson, Olive Kawecki, Naileah Quiroz, Ellisyn Wurster, Logyn Luhmann, Athena Opheim, Emma Byers. Row 2 (l-r): Manager Makenna Fischer, Assistant Coach Kelly Quiring, Mollie Leiding, Ella Hinz, Alaina Helmers, Julia Reyelts, Frankie Martin, Annie Reyelts, McKenna Ludacer, Lauren Zarling, Lila Klunder, Mataya Weber, Gemini Lopez, Aliyah Olsen, Coach Matt Nielsen, Assistant Coach Dominick Driano. Row 3 (l-r): Lianna Weber, Ellie Perkins, Addy Urban, Izzy Soelter, Amelia Sidles, Emma Pockrus, Riley Frost, Allissa Moore, Kaylin Schutz, Mahren Ludacer, Avery Chambers, Assistant Coach Jenna Lee Gustafson. Back row (l-r): Abbie Simpson, Calixta Tessendorf, Alyssa Lowry, Megan Hector, Audrina Suckow, Grace Kotewa (Captain), Nola Thedens (Captain), Addie Folkerts, Gwyneth Schultz, Makenzie Gerhardt, Audrey Nemmers, Liliana Hill.Photo by Seifried Portrait Design.

FAIRMONT – Last season, Fairmont Area girls soccer had another successful season under the guidance of head coach Matt Nielsen.

The Cardinals finished the year with a 14-5-1 record, going 6-0 in the Big South Conference before falling to Pine Island/Zumbrota-Mazeppa in the third round of the Section 2A playoffs.

Now, in 2025, Nielsen welcomes a handful of new faces after the departure of more than 10 seniors from last year’s roster.

“It’s always cyclical,” Nielsen said when referring to the departure of last year’s senior class. “You just get years where you can be younger. The difference is that this is the lowest number of seniors I’ve ever had.”

The previous lowest number of seniors Nielsen saw was five during his second season as coach of the Cardinals.

Despite only having three seniors this season – Grace Kotewa, Audrina Suckow and Nola Thedens – the group has a whole have been important in the development and structure of this year’s younger roster.

“Typically, we have had anywhere from eight to 15 in a class group,” Nielsen said. “That’s the unusual thing, that small number of seniors. Their leadership is really important; they set the tone. But the three I have are wonderful tone setters.”

Fairmont’s defense this season will ultimately be a younger group. As many of the expected players have gained experience competing at the junior-varsity level, some are seeing varsity-level action for the first time in their careers.

Junior Addie Folkerts plans on being the goalie for the Cardinals. After playing well last season on the junior/varsity team, Nielsen has the utmost confidence in his new keeper’s ability to defend the net and call out defensive formations.

Holding together what Nielsen called a “young” defensive line is sophomore Avery Chambers, who saw action last season for Fairmont as a freshman.

As a whole, fans can expect this year’s Cardinal roster to have the same defensive identity Nielsen and his coaching staff are known for.

Setting his defensive line high on the field, Nielsen wants his back defenders to not only constantly push the ball back to the offense, but to draw as many offsides penalties as possible.

“My defense is pretty far up the field,” Nielsen said. “We are shipping that ball back as quickly as we can into an offensive front. But that also means we keep a disciplined line for the purposes of getting the other team offsides. Last year, we averaged just over 12 offsides per game. Each one of those offsides represents firmly taking away a goal-scoring opportunity.”

On offense, Nielsen is in charge of replacing a multitude of goal scorers who graduated after last season.

However, Nielsen expects his players to constantly apply pressure to opposing teams’ defensive units, no matter how many new faces the Cardinals have on the front line.

“What I have historically been is that we attack,” Nielsen said. “We take risks, and I press a lot of players forward. Every player, starting with the forwards, is essentially in a full-court press the whole game. We are constantly pressing that team and looking to get that ball back within five seconds, if not three, if we turn the ball over.”

Fairmont begins the season at home on Monday, Aug. 25, against La Crescent-Hokah. Kickoff is set to begin at 5 p.m. in the Jeffery Kot Fields Soccer Complex.

Nielsen is excited for this opening opportunity for his team, looking to gauge where his team is when facing an opponent outside of practice.

“I don’t know where we respond mentally to getting scored on first or how we’re going to play from behind,” Nielsen said. “You never know that until you see the line of fire for the first time.”