St. Cloud Soccer Team Gears Up For Big Sweet 16 Home Game

ST. CLOUD (WJON News) -- The St. Cloud State University Women's Soccer team is having a historic season. They've advanced to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Division II national tournament for the first time ever in program history. Their 16 wins this season are also a program record.

Their overall record of 16-2-5.

On Sunday (11/23), the Huskies got a 2-1 overtime win over Central Missouri in Bemidji to advance to the next round.

Senior Middle Fielder Brooke Quam of Lakeville says the success hasn't really sunk in yet.

We have this goal set in our head that we are going to go far, and each round it feels like I'm dreaming a little bit.  This is my senior year, and the past three years we have gone out in the first round.  So now I believe we are going to keep continuing on.

Junior Ana Spaine of West Des Moines, Iowa, says their fans have been great, and they are looking forward to playing in front of the home crowd on Sunday.

It makes such a difference to have that underlying support.  We'd love to have students there on a Sunday, no school, after Thanksgiving, that would be amazing.  It makes all the difference to be supported by the community.

Sophomore Izzy Halunen of Woodbury says she committed to the team coming out of high school partly because her family members attended SCSU, partly because of the education program, and also because of the culture surrounding the soccer program.

I can't name what it was, but something felt different when I was talking to the staff and the players here when I was being recruited.  I also think that's why we're having success, because of the team culture here.

The Huskies are the #3 seed in the Central Region and will host the #4 seed Washburn this Sunday at 1:00 p.m. at The College of St. Benedict in St. Joseph. (They aren't playing on their home field at Husky Stadium because the dome is already up.)