MCC Women Nip Jones In JUCO Soccer Battle

(MERIDIAN, Miss.) - It’s been one big week for Meridian Community College sophomore Anastasia Vogel, and the hits just keep on coming.

Just named the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) soccer player of the week, Vogel followed that honor by kicking in the winning goal with 4 minutes left on the clock in a 4-3 victory over the Jones Junior College Lady Bobcats Thursday evening at C.D. Smith Field.

In a matchup of regional powers in which the teams battled intense heat as much as one another, Coach Alex George’s Lady Eagles raised their record to 5-0-1 on the season. But it wasn’t easy as the Lady Bobcats rallied from deficits of 2-0 and 3-2 before Vogel finally booted in the deciding goal.

For the match, Vogel, a native of Pontotoc, Miss., scored three goals and was supported by another sophomore teammate, Kelsey Edwards, who recorded a goal and an assist. Samantha Smith also chalked up an assist for MCC.

“We looked upon this match as a gateway to the regional tournament,” George said.

“What our fans witnessed today (Thursday) was a possible preview of the Region 23 finals. Of course, we have a long, long way to go before we get to that point, but that’s the kind of team Jones has in my opinion. I think they are one of the top two or three teams in the state, and they showed that by coming in here and playing a highly competitive match.”

George called the match “a battle of wills” because of the heat.

“It was tough on both teams,” he assessed. “It’s still early in the season, and, quite honestly, we’re not as fit as hopefully we will become as the season progresses. However, our team raised its level of play when it had to, and I was very proud of them for that."

In the first half, it appeared the Lady Eagles might be able to put things on cruise control. Off Smith’s assist, Vogel knocked in the first goal at about the 26 minute mark. Edwards upped the ante to 2-0 with 8 minutes remaining in the half, and MCC went on to hold Jones scoreless in the first period.

But Jones came roaring back, scoring two goals in the first 5:01 of the second half, the first of which came on a perfectly executed corner kick finished off with a header goal.

Vogel regained the lead for the Lady Eagles with 25 minutes left at 3-2 off an assist by Edwards, only to see JCJC rally once again, tying the contest at 3-3 with 10 minutes left. Vogel’s game winner came 6 minutes later.


“I can’t say enough about Anastasia,” George said. “She’s a playmaker. She just makes things happen.”

George said his team still had some things to shore up in order to have a good shot at defending its Region 23 title.

“We played a bit loose on some corner kicks and gave up some goals that we normally wouldn’t,” he explained. “We’ve simply got to maintain our focus in order to reach our optimum potential as a team.”

The Lady Eagles’ next opportunity to test that focus will be Sept. 28 at Hinds CC. The women will play at 5 p.m. to be followed by the men’s contest in the nightcap at 7.

“Hinds will be another very tough opponent,” George said. “We’ll prepare hard and hopefully be ready when we go to Raymond.”

Coach Dolores Deasley’s Jones team fell to 4-2-1 with the loss. The Lady Bobcats will next host Co-Lin in a MACJC South Division tilt at 2 p.m. Saturday in Ellisville.