BEMIDJI, Minn. – It’s not very often a team’s top two scorers of all-time get to play together, but for the two to be best friends, roommates and co-captains in their final year of eligibility is even less common. Bemidji State University soccer’s Ashlee Ellefsen (Sr., Fwd., Hugo, Minn.) and Jamie Ford (R-Sr., Fwd., Edina, Minn.) are just that.
Entering the last weekend of regular season play in the 2010 season the duo have amassed a total of 176 points in their four years, five years for Ford since she red-shirted last season due to an injury. While the two are in sole possession or in the top of numerous records at BSU, they maintain a close, but humorous friendship.
“I’d say that we’re pretty close, considering that we play up top together, live together,” Ellefsen said before jokingly adding, “and sometimes associate with each other.”
“I hate her,” joked Ford as the two laughed together. While setting individual records, the two maintain a great friendship and put the team’s goals ahead of their own.
“I think it’s good for the team to see that we can get along with each other even though were striving for the same thing,” Ellefsen commented.
“I’m not going to pass you the ball anymore,” Ford jokingly added.
While they like to keep it light and fun off the field, and have a very competitive attitude on the field, the duo often find themselves helping each other succeed.
“I think the reason of why the two of us have a lot of records is because of each other,” Ford said. “To be honest, it’s a lot harder when you’re the only one scoring goals or the only one getting assists.”
Ellefsen became the first player at Bemidji State to eclipse the century mark for points in a career. Still climbing in the record books, she owns the career-points record at BSU with 100, the career-goals record with 39 and the career-assists list with 22. She also owns the career-record for most game-winning goals with 14.
Ford is the sole owner of the second spot on the career-points record at BSU with 76. Ford is now tied for first for career-assists with 22 and in fourth for career-goals with 27.
If the saying “opposites attract” is true, than it’s never been truer with Ellefsen and Ford. Most of their teammates would not only describe their playing styles as being opposite, with Ellefsen being a more finesse player and Ford being more physical and direct, but their personalities also tend to be in stark contrast of each other.
“When it comes to things like personality and traits, we are a bit opposite,” Ford commented. “Even with her being a tall-blonde and I’m a short-brunette, me being more of a tom-boy compared to girly-girl.”
“I cry all the time and Jamie is like ‘It’s okay’ and never cries, which is perfect because I try to make her cry and she tries to make me not cry,” Ellefsen added as the two shared a laugh.
However, while they do share some distinct oddities in comparison to each other’s personalities, the two share the same determination.
“I think while we’re opposites in our personalities to some extent, we’re very similar in the things that are important to us. We are definitely very competitive and driven,” Ford said.
The two didn’t meet one another until the 2007 season when Ellefsen entered BSU as a freshman and Ford was starting her sophomore year. It wasn’t until the end of the first semester after that season when the two’s friendship started to blossom when they moved in together.
Two years later the two co-captains are still sharing living space together, rooming with the 2010 squad’s third co-captain Alysha Domiano (Sr., Def., Dayton, Minn.). All three captains under one roof allows for a more unique perspective on how to lead the team.
“We feed off of each other, because obviously we all see things differently,” Ford said. “We get a more well-rounded approach on how to view things that need to be improved upon with the team.”
“It’s nice living together cause we can talk about stuff at home after practice, about how to make things better,” Ellefsen added.
After sharing the field for four years the duo have some fond memories of great upsets and big wins by the Beavers. However, one in particular to Ford sticks out and it of course involves Ellefsen.
On Sept. 6, 2007, Bemidji State played host to St. Cloud State. In the history between those two teams, the Beavers had never defeated the Huskies. In the 88th minute, Ellfesen scored off a designed set piece.
“That was pretty exciting because it was a plan that we had worked on and it worked exactly how we wanted it to,” Ford said. The goal was Ellefsen’s first of her career, the first of many more to come over the next three years.
With the final weekend of the regular season at hand, the BSU soccer team finds itself on the verge of breaking the school record for most wins and conference wins in a single season.
As the team plays its final two games of the regular season, the team’s most prolific goal scorers are looking to help lead Bemidji State to the NSIC Tournament Championship and a potential bid to the NCAA Tournament.
With their soccer careers winding down, Ellefsen and Ford will remain in the BSU record books for a long time to come. However, they both dislike playing up their achievements.
“To be honest I don’t even know which records we have,” Ellefsen said. “I feel like there are a lot of random records,” Ford added.
Even after being asked if they wanted to know which records they currently hold at BSU, the two responded in unison with an abrupt “No”.
BSU Athletics
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