MCC Sweeps Past Southwest

From School Reports

The Meridian Community College Lady Eagles continued its hot streak to open the 2011 season with a narrow 4-3 victory over Southwest Mississippi Community College on Tuesday night in local junior college soccer action. The Lady Eagles carried a 2-1 lead heading into the second half of play and fought off several furious comebacks by the Lady Bears to secure the one-goal victory.

“We weren’t clicking on all cylinders tonight, but it was a great victory for our ladies tonight,” said MCC head coach Alex George. “We have had a great start to the season and I was very proud of how we held on for another huge win.”

MCC cracked the scoreboard first with a goal with 34:19 left in the opening half to take a 1-0 lead over Southwest. Sophomore Courtney Green scored the opening goal for the Lady Eagles in the opening ten minutes of play, but the Lady Bears battled back to tie the game later in the half. Bria Jackson scored the only goal for Southwest in the first half to tie the game at 1-1 with 17:39 left in the first half.

The Lady Eagles were able to retake the lead with a goal from the leading scorer for Meridian. Freshman striker Pam Gean scored her seventh goal of the 2011 season with 3:25 left in the first half to give MCC a 2-1 lead. Gean entered play on Tuesday night tied for the NJCAA lead with six goals scored.

Southwest came roaring back in the opening minutes of the second half to tie the game at 2-2. Jackson scored her second goal of the game with 42:25 left in the second half to bring some life to the Lady Bears. Meridian would answer the goal by Jackson, as Green scored her second goal of the game with 37:46 left in the second half to give the Lady Eagles a 3-2 lead.

MCC extended its lead with 20:37 left in the game with a goal from Claire Bolen to give the Lady Eagles a 4-2 lead over Southwest. Casey Brumfield added one final goal in the game for Southwest with 31 seconds remaining, but MCC was able to hold on for a 4-3 victory.
MCC (3-0) returns to action next Tuesday on the road at Holmes Community College at p.m.

MCC 4
Southwest 2

Freshman Tony Chapel secured his first hat trick of the season as MCC notched its first victory of the 2011 season with a two-goal victory over Southwest. MCC scored the only goal of the first half, which came from freshman striker Kellen Roberts to give the Eagles a 1-0 lead over one half. Chapel scored his first goal of the night with 34:54 left in the second half to extend the MCC lead to 2-0. Conor Weiman scored a goal for the Bears later in the half to cut the Meridian lead to 2-1.

Weiman scored on a free kick with 26:08 left in the second half to bring SWCC to within one goal. Chapel added his second of three goals with 19:54 left to extend the MCC lead to 3-1. Chapel put the match away for good with a goal with just 5:00 left to lead the Eagles to victory. Weiman added a late goal with 4:20 left for Southwest, but MCC held on for the 4-2 win.

MCC (1-2) returns to action next Tuesday on the road at Holmes Community College beginning at 4 p.m.