TAME | WS | New Zealand Recap #3 - WORLD CUP

Hailey Maloy, a senior nursing major, provided the recap from Friday, July 21 of the ETBU Women’s Soccer TAME trip to New Zealand.  

Today we woke up with the beautiful New Zealand sunshine peaking over the clouds and saying hello. The beautiful oranges and yellows filled the sky as we made our way down to team yoga. Once breakfast was finished our ISF team put a local clinic together for the community of Auckland. The best part about getting to immerse ourselves in a new community is having the joy of stepping out of our comfort zone. When in a foreign country and being with new people, it can be easy to stay in your shell. However, the best thing this mission trip has taught me is that by trusting God and believing in His will, He gives us the best opportunities."

We went to introduce ourselves to the young children, and a shy girl approached me. Her cute freckles and bangs were paired with a soft smile when she said ‘Hi, I’m Tiffany.’ Instantly we were best friends. We talked about her future with soccer, and where she wants to go. She asked me many questions about university and how I got where I am. It was a joy to see how our common love of soccer was what was able to bring us together. 

Later in the day we got to see the USA vs. Vietnam game. As we approached the game, the energy was electrifying. Pure joy is the simplest way to put it. We found our seats that were 40 yards from the goal in the corner. We watched as these strong 11, and supporting bench players made our country proud. The beautiful smiles that beamed on our girls' faces is something that I’ll never forget. From Coach Kiersten Ehler getting to see her favorite player Rose Lavelle, to Addi Funk (‘23 goalkeeper), cheering on Alyssa Naeher until her voice was hoarse, it proved no matter what age you are, the USA team makes a difference for all of us. As we watched the game progress, the ball was played through the Vietnam backline, finding Sophia Smith’s feet. She took a touch forward and placed it in the back of the net. Everyone jumped to their feet and 41,000 cheers roared through the stadium, leaving goosebumps on every fan’s arms. I thank God for allowing our team to experience USA’s first goal in the World Cup. I can’t wait to see what God has in store for the rest of our trip, and who we get to encounter.”