UW-La Crosse women’s soccer playing for suicide prevention

Part of WIAC's "Playing For A Cause" campaign

A yearly tradition is taking on a much more personal tone for UW-La Crosse women’s soccer. Tonight’s match for the Eagles is part of the WIAC’s “Playing for a Cause” campaign, in which each home team picks a cause to raise money for.

The Eagles are playing for suicide prevention, as several members of the team have lost someone close to them to suicide. The team says it’s been an emotional week, but one that brings everyone closer together.

“It kind of hurts your heart a little bit because you hate to see so many of your teammates have that be such an impact in their life, but then again you come back even stronger as a team,” junior defender Katie Feller said. “You build that dynamic around those girls that maybe haven’t said anything, but you just know that someone on your team somewhere has this important to them. So you rally the troops, I guess I’d say, and everyone takes a hand in playing for a cause and making it such a big day and special day.”

“It’s been hard for them,” head coach Jason Murphy said, “but I think in the end it puts a smile on their face and allows them to appreciate the relationship that they had with the person they lost, and really grow from that experience.”

News 8 Sports will have highlights of the “Playing For A Cause” match during the 10 p.m. Wednesday show.

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