MCCC’s women’s soccer team played their Region 19 championship game against Essex County College on Saturday, October 28. The Mercer Vikings had their final game of the season with a loss of 2-1 on their home field.
soccer field on October 28. | PHOTO: Oluwakemi Olaleye
Earlier in the season, the Vikings beat Essex’s Wolverines 7-2 but fell short in the championship. Overall, the team’s season record was four wins, six losses, and two ties, with five different game cancellations throughout September and October.
The final game started off slow. Luana Nascimento and Fiona Madigan, both first year defenders, kept a strong defensive wall, fending off the Essex strikers for some time, but their strength was overcome by the speed of the Wolverine’s offense.
In the twenty-second minute, a quick opportunistic play by Essex teammates Nisrine Taalba and Taina Gervais, resulted in the first goal against Mercer.
Noticing the speed and agility in the Wolverines’ forward, Gervais, Mercer’s head coach, Ron Stinson, had to come up with a new game plan.
Stinson says, “I saw the first half going a little differently because we switched up one of our defenders and put her up top and we put somebody else with a little more speed in the back to compensate for the speed of [Gervais].”
Switching up the positioning of the players gave Mercer more flexibility in their offensive plays. The score was then 1-0, with the Vikings still having plenty of time to gain their momentum.
In the thirty-eighth minute, Celina Oliveira, first year goalkeeper, narrowly saved Mercer’s team from a breakaway, preventing the ball from hitting the net by putting pressure on the incoming Essex striker.
soccer field on October 28. | PHOTO: Oluwakemi Olaleye
However, in the last few minutes of the first half, Essex’s Tiffany Escobar, launched the ball into the top of the net ending it with 2-0.
In the second half, Mercer reapplied pressure, preventing Essex from increasing their lead.
Mercer’s Laura Kucharz, first year defense, scored off of a penalty kick, after Victoria Woodruff, a second year forward, was fouled in the box.
With the score now 2-1, both teams became more aggressive.
In the twenty-eighth minute of the second half, a push from the back by Essex’s Escobar, who received a yellow card, led to a free kick by Kucharz, which narrowly brushed the top of the goal post, resulting in the jeers from the crowd.
After a breakaway by Gervais, a crucial save by Mercer’s goalie Oliveria kept the Vikings in the game.
Following a brief pause in the game, a series of yellow cards was issued to Essex’s team. Jonie Gabriel was penalized for pushing, and Stacyann Clair took too long for a goal kick.
To end the second half, Viking’s goalie, Oliviera, saved the team from a breakaway with two minutes left, ending the game with a score of 2-1, leaving Essex victorious.
Mercer’s Kucharz said after the game, “In the first half we kept going pretty well and we started good, but then we lost some possession. The second half we came together, we came back and got possession and had them, but just didn’t score.”
Vikings fans seemed to take the loss in stride. Kinson Jean, Mercer County resident and former player for the MCCC men’s soccer team, said, “Basically, It was a great game. Both teams played very well and Mercer had a very good squad; I really liked the way they played.”
Jean continued, “Unfortunately they lost and that’s part of the game, but I congratulate the Essex team. They played very well, the defense did exactly what they needed to do.”
Spectator Debbie Carr, Carley Krjcsovics’s former soccer coach, said,“ It was a hard game. They pushed up at the end and tried to win but it was enjoyable to come out on this nice day to watch some soccer.“
Coach Stinson said of the season, “They are a great group of young ladies. You know, some people don’t know that we have kids from five different countries. We started out in August, they didn’t even know each other. Then, you know, by the end of the year, you could see how they were consoling each other at the end of the game.”
He added, “I’m so proud of them. They’ve done a fantastic job all year, they’ve gotten better and better.”
