Defender Emma Schneider has started all 17 games for the UMaine women’s soccer team. Photo provided by UMaine athletics

As sales pitches go, Myla Schneider had it easy when trying to convince her older sister to come to the University of Maine and compete together on the women’s soccer team. Emma Schneider, older by 16 months, was looking to transfer from Florida Gulf Coast University after the 2021 season, and visited her sister in Orono.

“I think the biggest sales pitch was just the people that we have here. She came on her visit to our end of the year team gala,” Myla said. “She met the Kraemer sisters (Kayla and Abby) there and loved them. She loved the coaches.”

Thousands of miles from their home in Calgary, Alberta, the Schneider sisters were eager to reunite in Orono.

“It was definitely a big change, coming from Florida weather to Maine weather. But the environment was so clear here, that family atmosphere. That was definitely something I wanted to be a part of,” Emma said.

The Schneider sisters are key defenders for the Black Bears, who earned their second consecutive trip to the NCAA tournament by winning the America East tournament.

A center back, Myla was named first team all-conference for a second straight season. Emma was named second team all-conference. Together, they’ve helped Maine hold opponents to 12 goals in 17 games, including back-to-back shutouts in the America East tournament.

Myla Schneider, left, and sister Emma celebrate after a UMaine women’s soccer game. Photo provided by UMaine athletics

The Black Bears (13-1-3) will play at Wisconsin (9-5-4) in a first-round game at 8 p.m. Friday. Maine and Wisconsin share one common regular season opponent, Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights beat Maine, 3-0, for the Black Bears’ only loss of the season. Rutgers also defeated the Badgers, 1-0.

The Schneiders are one of three sets of sisters on the Maine roster. There’s also Kayla and Abby Kraemer, and Rebecca and Olivia Grisdale.

“Emma was looking for a school, and sisters chat and talk, and a lot of the things Myla was speaking about were the things Emma was looking for,” said Scott Atherley, Maine’s head coach. “The three sets of sisters we have are like that. They’ve spent a lot of time together. They’ve grown up together. They know each other’s quirks, their tendencies, and they’re also their biggest fans for each other.”

The Schneider sisters log a lot of minutes, underscoring their importance to the team. Myla leads the Black Bears in minutes played, with 1,530. Emma is fourth, with 1,270. Both played for all 90 minutes in each of Maine’s two conference tournament victories.

“They mean a lot to our defense. Not only the consistency of their performance, but their leadership. They’re two of our three captains, and they’re just exceptional students, players and people,” Atherley said.

Coincidentally, the Schneider sisters rarely played alongside each other before they reunited at Maine. Emma played for the Calgary Foothills Soccer Club, while Myla played for the Blizzard Soccer Club.

“We actually played against each other a lot more than we played with each other growing up,” Emma said. “It’s kind of nice to be on the same team now.”

They’ve found their different skill sets complement each other well.

“I think we’re similar in a lot of ways, but a little bit different,” Myla said. “I feel like Emma loves to take her winger on with the dribble whenever she receives the ball, which really complements when I play her the feed. In any situation, she can get out of that.”

Emma and Myla each have one assist this season. Atherley described Myla as more a traditional central defender, a player with excellent field vision and technical skills who is also one of the team’s fastest players. As an outside back, Emma often joins the attack, giving the Black Bears an added weapon.

“She causes a lot of problems because she can wind up anywhere on our front line at times,” Atherley said of Emma.

Myla Schneider and the UMaine women’s soccer team are back in the NCAA tournament. Photo provided by UMaine athletics

Emma can jump into the attack because Myla is an excellent defender who can cover a lot of the field.

“Since I do like going up in the offense, it’s nice knowing if for some reason I can’t get back, Myla is back there. She can hold the fort down until I can get back,” Emma said.

Maine fell to Harvard in the NCAA tournament last season, but the experience helped strengthen the team’s resolve.

That toughness showed up in the regular season. The Black Bears rallied from a 2-0 deficit to tie the New Jersey Institute of Technology. Maine also erased a two-goal deficit in a 3-2 win over Vermont.

Myla said the team will need to lean on its toughness against Wisconsin.

“Just knowing we have that in our back pocket is super helpful,” she said.