One of the special aspects of the UW-Eau Claire women’s soccer team is the chemistry and its ability to come together as one family, senior Maria Iaizzo said.
For two members of the team, this statement rings especially true.
Sophomores Amy and Allison Smith are not only teammates, they’re twin sisters.
“They definitely bring us all together in their own special way,” Iaizzo said.
The girls play different positions, which helps them to make a name for themselves on the field, Allison Smith said.
Amy Smith plays forward while Allison Smith holds off opponents on defense.
As sisters, the duo has brought an exceptional component to the team, coach Sean Yengo said.
“On the field, they’re our bookends,” Yengo said. “We’re lucky to have them.”
Ever since the girls were 5 years old, they’ve been playing soccer, Amy Smith said.
“We always played together, always on the same team,” she said.
In the beginning, the two both took an interest in playing midfield but as time progressed, they discovered different positions were a better fit.
“It’s nice because it shows our differences (as players),” Allison Smith said.
While searching for colleges, the Bloomington, Minn. natives found Eau Claire to be the only choice they had in common.
“We actually weren’t going to come together,” Amy Smith said. “But we both ended up really liking it a lot. It worked out well for us.”
After playing soccer for more than 10 years together, they came to Eau Claire knowing they wanted to continue playing.
Having someone on the field that is so familiar has been beneficial for the duo, Allison Smith said.
“It’s just really easy because, even though we play completely opposite positions, I always know what Amy’s going to do,” she said.
This proved true in the Oct. 15 game against Loras College (Iowa).
With the game tied in the last minute, Amy Smith scored off a corner kick from her sister to win the game.
As sophomores, the women have helped to continue the team’s success this season as well.
Amy Smith is at nine goals for the season with six assists and was named Blugold Athlete of the Week on Oct. 2.
She also grabbed a game-winning goal against UW-Superior and has added to two conference wins and a number of shut-outs.
Allison Smith has added to the Blugold defense by keeping the ‘Golds undefeated in conference play.
In a pair of away games, Allison Smith contributed to a tough defense that allowed just six shots against Illinois Wesleyan (Ill.) and two shots against Millikin University (Ill.).
She was also named Blugold Athlete of the Week and WIAC Athlete of the Week during the week of Sept. 4.
The Smith sisters have a certain advantage being so close, Yengo said.
“Most of our players are pretty close off the field,” he said. “But I think the fact that they’ve played with each other for so long, they just know each other more than other players and that definitely helps.”
Finding each other on the field has been helpful, Amy Smith said.
“If she wants to send the ball to me, she knows where to put it,” she said.
Beyond teammates, the two are both kinesiology majors and best friends, they said.
Although they spend a lot of time together on and off the field, Allison Smith said they drew the line at living together.
“We thought it would be good for us if we didn’t,” she said.
Since their freshman year, the pair has been making big plays on the team and working to make a name for themselves.
Amy Smith said in the beginning their coaches had a little trouble telling them apart but as their first season progressed it became easier to recognize their individuality.
“It helps that we play completely different positions,” Allison Smith said.
Looking to the future, the sisters said they hope to continue to improve and keep building on their strengths.
Iaizzo said she could see the two becoming captains in the coming seasons.
“They will have a strong foundation for the incoming classes of the future,” she said.
Yengo agreed.
“They’re both exceptional role models,” he said. “They’re sisters and twins, but they certainly have they’re differences.”
