August 31, 2021
The Warriors of East Central Community College battled hard against the Southwest Mississippi Bears on Friday afternoon, August 27, but ultimately fell 3-2 in a thrilling match in Summit.
"I felt we were unlucky to not walk away with the win," said ECCC head coach Ethan Paschal. "I have tremendous respect for how the boys battled today, especially considering we had two starters out and lost three more players to injury early on. I liked our execution taking set-pieces and our offensive transition was much better...we'll get back in the lab and work."
It was an offense showcase in the opening 45 minutes as four of the match's five total goals were netted in the first half. The Bears jumped out in front with a goal, but the Warriors quickly hit back. A perfectly placed corner kick landed in the midst of a host of Warriors and Avery Liles (Wiggins) finished it off. The goal tied the game up, but just a few minutes later, Jashil Vithal (Johannesburg, South Africa) scored from just outside the 18-yard box on a free kick. The quick scores put ECCC on top, but the Bears were able to find an equalizer before the first half horn.
The second half was more of a defensive battle as the teams fought to control the midfield. With just over 11 minutes remaining in the contest, the Bears scored the go-ahead goal to secure the win.
ECCC is set to play the first home match of the 2021 season on Tuesday, August 31 as the Mississippi University for Women travels to Decatur. The match is set for 3 p.m., but fans should continually check www.ecccathletics.com/composite and ECCC social media as college and athletic administrators closely monitor Hurricane Ida which could lead to schedule changes.
