Annika Yoder-Stoulil was a little shy as she entered her freshman season of high school girls soccer at Gilbert.
The Tigers ended up qualifying for the state tournament and making it all the way to the Class 1A championship game, where they fell to Bishop Heelan to finish 14-6.
Yoder-Stoulil learned a lot from standout keeper Braelyn Thomas during Gilbert’s run to the title game, but she was unwilling to express herself out on the soccer field.
She was still reserved entering her sophomore season. Her quick reflexes, steady demeanor and strong leg let her move into the role of starting keeper for the Tigers, but she was reluctant to start barking orders to the Gilbert back line to help them make the right reads or get in the correct position.
“She still struggled with talking,” said Gilbert defender Keaton Hanson. “I had to turn back and be like ‘You’ve got to tell me what to do!’”
It did not take long for Yoder-Stoulil to get the message.
She made 36 saves and gave up only six goals during her sophomore year as Gilbert went 14-4. In 2025, Yoder-Stoulil gave up 10 goals and made 39 saves as part of an 11-4 Tiger team.
Over her first two seasons, Yoder-Stoulil recorded an excellent save rate of 82%. That has continued four games into her senior season.
Her skills as a keeper have played a key role in her success. But just as important, she is no longer afraid to let her teammates know where they need to be in order to prevent opposing offenses from getting any balls through to the goal.
“It’s definitely been a complete 180,” Hanson said. “Annika is the only goalkeeper I trust besides Emma (Deal), our backup. She’s learned a lot from Annika.”
The reason Yoder-Stoulil made such a quick turnaround was simple.
“It’s a confidence thing,” said Yoder-Stoulil. “If you’re not confident as a goalkeeper you might as well not play.”
She has taken her confidence up another level as a senior.
This season Yoder-Stoulil has a save percentage of 79% following the Class 2A No. 13 Tigers’ 2-0 victory over No. 10 Pella on April 16 at Tiger Stadium in Gilbert. She was in complete control the first half against the Dutch, making all four of her saves to keep the game scoreless.
In the second half the Tigers got the wind at their back, and they took complete control of the game. They dominated possession and forward Raya Mueller put the ball in the net twice to secure the win.
Gilbert kept the ball on the Pella end of the field for so long in the second half that Yoder-Stoulil had to find ways to keep herself active so that she did not lose focus.
“Usually I’m running around,” Yoder-Stoulil said. “I’ll be up here (outside the 18) and I’ll walk back and forth all the time just to keep myself moving. Otherwise, I will fall asleep.”
Her coaches and teammates never have to worry about that happening. Yoder-Stoulil has been in complete control in helping Gilbert start off 2-0-2 with wins over Pella and Ballard and ties with No. 9 Adel-Desoto-Minburn and 3A program Southeast Polk.
“She has worked so much on her craft and her position,” said Ames co-head coach Heather Currans. “She’s taken on a leadership role this year. We want her to be that commander of the field and she’s doing that.”
Now all that is left for Yoder-Stoulil to accomplish is to help get Gilbert back to the state tournament.
The Tigers have not been to state since their 1A runner-up finish in 2023. They fell in the regional finals to Dike-New Hartford in 2024 and Nevada in 2025, losing both games by a 1-0 score.
With the move up to 2A this year, it will not be an easy task. But with state now right next door in Ames, Gilbert is motivated to make it back.
“Even though we got bumped up to 2A, we’re not that little anymore,” Yoder-Stoulil said. “Small but mighty.”
If boils down to Yoder-Stoulil needing to make a game-clinching save on a PK to earn the Tigers a spot at state, they know they are in good hands.
“I hope it doesn’t come to that,” Yoder-Stoulil said. “If it does that would be amazing.”
Joe Randleman covers high school sports for the Ames Tribune. Contact him at jrandleman@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JoeRandleman
This article originally appeared on Ames Tribune: How Gilbert keeper Annika Yoder-Stoulil developed into a vocal leader
Reporting by Joe Randleman, Ames Tribune / Ames Tribune
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