2011 MCC Women's Soccer Preview

From School Reports

The 2011 Meridian Community College soccer season is just around the corner and Lady Eagles are looking to have their most successful season in school history. MCC will look to return to the postseason for the fourth straight season and all of the pieces of the puzzles are in place for a fourth consecutive appearance in the playoffs.

“This may be our best group we have had in 10 years here at MCC,” said MCC head coach Alex George. “We have brought a great recruiting class to campus this season and a lot of these new faces will contribute to our success this season.”
MCC will return seven starters from the 2010 squad which lost in the 2010 Region 23 Tournament to Jones and the Lady Eagles will be looking to rebound from a disappointing end to last season.

“It left a bad taste in our mouth and our team has been working very hard since they have returned to campus to get ready for the long season ahead. We have one goal in mind and this group has its sights set on winning a championship this season. We have a very good chance of making this a very special season for our program.”

The Lady Eagles return several starters to the lineup this season, but one of the most important returning players is goal keeper Chasity Robertson of Byram, MS. Robertson will bring a wealth of experience back to the team and is one of the key components for MCC to be successful in 2011.

“She (Robertson) may be one of the best keepers in the region,” added George. “She is a great athlete in goal and she should have a very good season for us. We will be looking for big stops from her during the season.

The one area that will be exciting for fans in the Meridian area is the number of local players that will be a part of the MCC Lady Eagle team in 2011. The most familiar face to join the team this season will be former Meridian High standout Maggie Freyaldenhoven. The freshman will see plenty of action this season for the Lady Eagles and will start in the midfield.

Chelsea Byrd, another former Meridian High standout, will be another key spot in the lineup this season for MCC. Byrd will draw starts in the lineup at striker and will bring a ton of talent to the lineup for the Lady Eagles. Former Northeast Lauderdale standout Malley Gullette joins the 2011 squad and rounds out an impressive list of local players for the Lady Eagles. Gullette will play a role on the team as a defender for MCC.

Two other players that will carry a large amount of the load on offense for MCC will be Pam Gean and Shana Kay Durant. Gean comes to MCC from Olive Branch High School and Durant comes to Meridian by way of Kingston, Jamaica. Both players will be in the lineup for MCC at striker.

“I think we have the right mix of players to have a great season,” said George. “We can’t overlook any team this season because every team on our schedule this season has a ton of talent. It should be a very exciting season.

The MCC Lady Eagles open the season August 22 against Holmes Community College at 5 p.m.