2004

Meridian CC keeps playoff hopes alive with win at ECCC

WEEKOF~C~(~ I \ _________

By Ryan Sat c her staff writer

~ We're still sitting where we need to

DECATUR - Meridian Community College kept its po tseason soccer hopes alive on Tuesday afternoon with a 2- 1 victory over East Central Community College. The Eagles, now 12-4 and 6- 2 in division play, will try to win their final two games of the season for a trip to the post– season. "We're still sitting where we comfortable right now. We came off with a pleasant win today. We just need to keep stringing things together. We've got two more games, and we need to keep ourselves focused." The Eagles have Jones on the road on Friday and will finish out the regular season with a match against Co-Lin next week. On Tuesday, MCC put pres– sure on the homestandingWar– riors and scored early in the second half to pick up the close win. The Eagles jumped out to an early lead as Chad Brunson fed Travis Brown on a breakaway. Brown finished the chance with a blast into the rig ht side of the net to make the score 1-0 with 42:31 remaining in the first half. \1CC had another good chance with 36 minutes left in J e first. Stephen Frederic fed Brown .~~ a pass and Brown fed the ball b"ck to Frederic at the top of the box. The midfielder's hot ... a5 saved, however, and ECC\.. ·.·.as able to clear the ball )i The Warriors finished off a ce latt r in the first half to game. Luis Araya passed need to be," said MCC coach Alex George. "I'm

be. I'm comfortable right now. We came offwith a pleasant win today. We just need to keep stringing things together.

Meridian Community College coach Alex George

in the first half. The Eagles nearly look back the lead late in the first half when Kyle Notvest broke free behind the Warrior defense, but keeper Jose Castillo charged out to clear the ball away. MCC took back the lead in the opening minutes of the second half as Alejandro Alvarado fed Brunson with a pass behind the ECCC defense. Brunson finished off the run with a nice shot to give the Eagles a 2-llead. MCC nearly added to its lead later in the half when a shot by Alvarado slipped through the keeper's hands, but keeper Ragan Denham was able to recover to make a diving save to keep the score at 2-1. Meridian had another chance a minute later when Steven Cook fed Jay Crane with a pass. Crane's shot went high to keep East Central within a goal. East Central was unable to get much going on the offen– sive end but nearly tied the game on a shot by Diego Perez with 24 minutes left. The shot went wide right and Meridian held on to pick up the victory. "They played well," said ECCC coach Kenneth Thompson of his team. "They played hard and that's all I can ask. We gave ourselves a chance. Both teams played hard and played clean. It was '! good game and I was proud to see that." The Warriors drop to 5-7-1 with the loss and are now 2-5 in division play.

CARTHAGINIAN - - ----- NESHOBADEMOCRAT _______ NEWTONRECORD~----- MERIDIAN STAR ~V ______ CLARION-LEDGER------

I \\ rren who sent a dm\ :-, the field towards box \'biteht ad was able to .. ead on the ball and

the net to tie the ~th 18 minutes left

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