MCC splits last home games

By By Robby Atkinson / staff writer
Oct. 15, 2003
The Meridian Community College soccer teams closed out the 2003 home schedule by taking a split against Mississippi Gulf Coast in local junior college soccer action Tuesday.
The MCC women took a heartbreaking loss at the hands of the Lady Bulldogs by a final score of 2-1. The men's team won an impressive 3-1 decision to close out the night of soccer at MCC.
The Lady Eagles fell to 7-9 overall, and the MCC men improved to a 13-0-2 mark this season. Meridian returns to action Friday on the road at Pearl River.
Meridian (men) 3
Gulf Coast 1
The MCC Eagles continued their impressive march through the 2003 season by taking a 3-1 win over the Bulldogs. Meridian also has reason to celebrate after the two-goal win over Mississippi Gulf Coast.
MCC officially earned a trip to the Region 23 Tournament on Nov. 1 at Hinds Community College, with the victory.
The Eagles got the first goal of the evening with 35:35 left in the first half. Benton Dufour notched the goal for Meridian off a crossing pass by Javier Pelayo to give MCC the early 1-0 edge.
The Bulldogs fought back in the late stages of the first half. Gulf Coast earned a corner kick and the kick deflected off a Meridian defender and crept in the goal to tie the game at one, with 15:52 left in the opening half.
The Eagles came right back with a goal from Brandon Rodgers. Rodgers outran the Bulldogs defense and collected a goal in the far corner of the net to give Meridian a 2-1 lead at the end of the first.
Dufour added an insurance goal with 27:14 left in the game to make things a little more comfortable for the Eagles. The goal came off a mistake by the Gulf Coast defenders, and Dufour capitalized a secured the score.
Gulf Coast (women) 2
Meridian 1
The MCC women need a win in the worst way, but the plan didn't work out in the Lady Eagles favor on Tuesday. Mississippi Gulf Coast used a late second half goal to take the important one-goal win over Meridian.
The Lady Bulldogs cracked the scoreboard first with a goal from Meghan Eddy to give Gulf Coast a 1-0 lead, with 15:11 left in the first half. MCC evened the score moments later on a goal from Cheri R. Wilson on an assist by Tiffany Holman.
Mississippi Gulf Coast clinched the win with a goal by Kelly Cannan to open the second and that would be enough for the road victory for the Lady Bulldogs.