This past week, Jordyn Minda was named the PSAC women’s soccer western division Athlete of the Week, after tallying two goals and two assists in The Rock’s two games last week. Last week, Minda continued her impressive stretch of play as in the last three games The Rock has played, she has had four goals and four assists, totaling 12 points overall.
Minda came to Slippery Rock from South Park High School, near Pittsburgh, and had ties at Slippery Rock because her brother, Justin, had played for the men’s soccer team at Slippery Rock.
“My brother just graduated last year and he was on the men’s soccer team, so I knew of Slippery Rock and then I just started talking to the coaches. Once I visited, I loved the campus and the team,” Minda said. In high school, Minda was named All-Section and All-WPIAL while she also earned high honors for academics.
In her freshman season at Slippery Rock, Minda started every game and was tied for first in points on the team with 16. Minda also led the team in goals with seven and also had two assists while taking only 21 shots. Because of her play last season, she was named PSAC Freshman of the Year, earned All-Region honors and was a first-team All-PSAC selection last season.
“It was really surprising, but also really humbling at the same time, because obviously I couldn’t have done any of that without my team, so that was a really cool experience as a freshman,” Minda said.
In her sophomore season, Minda has picked up where she left off last season. Minda has already surpassed or tied most of her totals from last season, including game-winning goals with four. Before the last three games, Minda had only three goals and didn’t have an assist but, now has two more points than she had last season with five games to go.
Minda’s four game-winning goals is tied for first in the PSAC with IUP’s Mahogany Willis. Minda is also tied for sixth in the conference with four assists and is tied for fourth in goals with seven.
“I’d say that we’re still really close, like it’s a tight knit family, but we have great team chemistry. And not that we didn’t last year, but this year since we’re so close off the field it translates on the field, because you know everyone is playing for each other and not themselves,” said Minda. This season the Rock has nine more goals and 13 more assists than all of last season, and has as many conference wins as last year’s team.
Minda is currently second in points on the team, behind Rachel Edge who has 26 points. Sitting at third on the team is Kayla Swope with 16. The trio of Minda, Edge and Swope have combined for 22 goals, 16 assists and 60 points.The three combined have more goals than nine teams in the PSAC. They all also sit in the top ten for points in the conference and the trio will still potentially have two years together after this season, as Minda and Edge are sophomores and Swope is a freshman.
“I love playing with [Rachel and Kayla]. I think we have a lot of great movement and we’ve combined really well together. By this part of the season we’re all comfortable and know each other and what we’re going to do, so I think it’s really fun plaing with those two up top,” Minda said.
As of this past Saturday, Minda has played the fifth most minutes (1,017) on the team and has started every game. So far, Minda has taken 35 shots this season and put as many shots on goal as shots she took last season with 21. Edge is the only player with more shots on goal with 26.
“I’m not as much focused on keeping my numbers, because we do have a ton of contributors, so I know if I’m not scoring or assisting someone else will be doing that. So I haven’t really been focusing on getting up my assists or getting up my goals, I just want to contribute to the team the best way I can,” Minda said.
Minda has shown one of Slippery Rock’s biggest strengths this season in her stretch, as she has those four assists, but has also received an assist on all four goals she’s scored in those games.
“I think as a team we’re so selfless and there’s not one person that’s so selfish that they want to get the goal for themselves. They know whatever is best for the team, if someone’s wide open, but you have a shot you’re going to pass it there, because at the end of the day we want what’s best for the team and we want to win,” Minda said.
This past week, not only was Minda named Player of the Week, but goalkeeper Emma Yoder was also named PSAC women’s soccer western division Defensive Athlete of the Week. “I think getting that is also really humbling, it’s my first and also really nice to be named that alongside Emma, because she’s really solid back there and deserves it,” Minda said.
While The Rock still has five games left in the regular season, Minda has already tied her total for goals and surpassed her total for points and assists.
“I want to keep my game solid and stayed focused, whether that’s my role of scoring or whatever that is, but as a team the closer we get to playoffs then we’re just that more focused and wanting to win to achieve our ultimate goal making playoffs and winning PSAC’s,” Minda said.
