The East Central Community College soccer teams opened MACJC North Division play by dropping matches to visiting Holmes Community College Wednesday, Sept. 4, at the Soccer Pitch on the ECCC campus in Decatur.
The ECCC Lady Warriors lost 6-2 to the No. 15 ranked Holmes Lady Bulldogs, while the Warriors lost a heartbreaking 3-2 match to the Bulldogs in overtime.
The East Central Lady Warriors fell to 2-1 on the season and 0-1 in division play, while the Holmes Lady Bulldogs improved to 4-0 overall and 2-0 in North Division play.
The ECCC men are now 2-2 on the season and 0-1 in division play. The Holmes Bulldogs improved to 1-2-1 and 1-1.
The women's match was tied early 1-1 with the two teams exchanging goals in the first six minutes. After that, the Holmes Lady Bulldogs scored three unanswered goals to take a 4-1 lead at the intermission. Sophomore midfielder Macey Spencer (Florence) had the first half goal for East Central. She was assisted by freshman forward Hannah Herren (Florence).
Spencer added another goal early in the second half to close the gap to 4-2, before the Lady Bulldogs netted the last two goals of the match, including the third of the afternoon by current MACJC and NJCAA Women's Soccer Offensive Player of the Week Cariel Ellis. Sophomore forward Leah Anderson (Leyland, United Kingdom) assisted on Spencer's second goal, her fifth assist of the season.
In the second match of the day, the ECCC Warriors and Holmes Bulldogs were tied 1-1 at the half and 2-2 at the end of regulation before the Bulldogs got the winning goal in overtime.
Scoring goals for the Warriors were sophomore midfielder Terrell Johnson (Jackson, Murrah), assisted by freshman forward Kai VanCourt (Long Beach), and freshman forward Rashun Ludgood (George County), assisted by sophomore midfielder Joel Hill (Newton County).
The East Central teams are back in MACJC North Division action on Friday, Sept. 6, when they travel to Fulton to face Itawamba at 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. They then hit the road to battle Hinds in North Division action at 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 10, in Raymond.
The ECCC Lady Warriors and Warriors then return home Friday, Sept. 13, for more MACJC North Division contests as the teams from Northwest visit Decatur for matches at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.