Eva Plathe headlines promising freshman class hoping to turn around Cornell women’s soccer program

CEDAR RAPIDS — Cornell women’s soccer is beginning a rebuild.

With eight freshmen and a first-year head coach, the Rams have taken some early lumps. But when one of your freshmen is Eva Plathe, optimism abounds.

“She’s been great,” Cornell Coach Sarah Campbell said after the Rams lost to rival Coe, 2-1, in a Bremner Cup battle Wednesday night at Clark Field. “She’s put in quite a few goals for us. The freshman class that she is with, again, they have all just really meshed.

“I think that is what has made her progress grow, as well. The upperclassmen have taken her under their wing. Overall, Eva is doing an awesome job. But as a team, we are really carrying her, as well and helping her succeed. It is a whole team job.”

After Coe freshman Maggie Preuss and junior Mac Adams scored goals for the Kohawks (1-5-1) in the first five minutes of the match, Plathe – a former Clear Creek Amana prep – nearly matched the Coe duo before halftime. Plathe’s strike in the 24th minute hit the post, while her header 13 minutes later could not get past the Coe goalkeeper.

“Those were a bummer,” Plathe said. “I was ready for those.”

Plathe scored Cornell’s only goal via a penalty kick in the 59th minute.

The goal was the team-best eighth this season for Plathe, who recorded 25 goals and 16 assists while helping CCA win 40 games during a prep career that included three first-team all-Wamac Conference honors.

“I am just very competitive and never want to back down to a challenge,” Plathe said. “Just stepping up and having my teammates around me, especially the older girls, have helped get all of us freshmen into college soccer and be more comfortable.”

Plathe has appeared comfortable from the start for Cornell (1-5). In the Aug. 31 season opener at home against Mount Mary (Wis.) University, the midfielder/defender announced her arrival with four goals and an assist in the Rams’ 11-0 victory.

The 11 goals were two more than Cornell scored all of last season.

“I didn’t really know what to expect, which I think was exciting because there were no expectations,” Plathe said. “No one knows who you are. Especially all of us, we came out very excited and ready to play.”

This past weekend, the Rams scored a total of four goals in home losses to Edgewood (Wis.) College and Marian (Wis.) University. Plathe scored three of them and collected an assist on the fourth.

“She leads,” Campbell said. “She’s fast. Fast paced. She has great footwork.”

Campbell – a standout player in her own right at Waverly-Shell Rock High School (2015-18) and Wartburg College (2018-22) – inherited a Cornell program that had won just one match last season and 12 in the last three. Plathe said Campbell has brought a new coaching style to the program.

“She is very intense and nothing will slide,” Plathe said. “You won’t cut corners. Everyone is held accountable.”

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After the Coe match, Campbell told her team that it was the best it had played this season. Once the Rams begin to duplicate the effort of the final 85 minutes of the match, the wins will be sure to follow.

“We’ve started a foundation and we’re just sticking to it,” Campbell said. “We came up with some team goals and everyone is working hard to rebuild the program. Our upperclassmen have been great role models and then our freshmen have come in and made some big impacts, as well. Overall, we have a great team. Just a little bit more practice and a couple more games. I think we're going to be great.”

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