Friday, October 21, 2016

Matsen sisters are student-athletes and ambassadors for UIS

University of Illinois Springfield student-athletes and sisters Jocelyn Matsen and Emily Matsen play different sports in the same season, so the Rochester High School graduates turn to technology to keep tabs on what the other one is up to.

“I watch her soccer games even if we are traveling in the bus,” said Jocelyn, a senior on the UIS women’s golf team. “I’ll pull it up on my phone or I’ll watch it at the hotel.”

Golf tournaments aren’t usually broadcast over the Internet.

“I’ll look at the live stats and if our mom goes to watch, she’ll text me every three holes,” said Emily, who also is a member of UIS women’s basketball team.

There’s a lot for the sisters, who are one year and eight months apart, to keep up with this fall.

Jocelyn was named the Great Lakes Valley Conference Women’s Golfer of the Week on Oct. 13.

"She played exceptionally well," UIS golf coach Frank Marsaglia said. "She just seems more relaxed on the course this year. I think that's why you’re seeing lower scores from her.”

Emily is a junior starter on a women's soccer team that has set the program’s single-season record for wins at seven and she was the hero in one of those victories. Emily scored the game-winning goal in a 1-0 win against Wisconsin-Parkside on Sept. 30. It was UIS’ first time ever beating the Rangers.

The story was reported by The State Journal-Register on October 21, 2016.

Read the article online.