SENATOBIA - The Northwest Mississippi Community College women's soccer team (12-3, 7-3) earned an emphatic 8-0 Sophomore Night victory over the #20 Hinds Community College Eagles (7-7-3, 3-7) at the Ranger Soccer Complex.
"Even though it was Sophomore Day everyone was really happy," sophomore midfielder Joline Knevel said. "I remember last year we lacked in the first 15 minutes, and today was really good."
The Rangers were on the front foot from the very first kick of the game. Sophomore forward Kassidy McMillan got the scoring started early when she slotted home Olivia Miller's, another sophomore, cross in the third minute.
Less than two minutes later, Miller and McMillan swapped places with Miller slotting home McMillan's pass to give Northwest a 2-0 lead less than five minutes into the game.
To make the score 3-0, Knevel slotted home sophomore Maggie Pace's pass from around 20 yards out to become the third sophomore to add their name to the scoresheet in the 15th minute.
On a night all about the sophomores, the Northwest faithful got a glimpse into both the future and present of the women's soccer team with the next five goals.
Freshman Mel Holt scored the fourth goal of the night after a Iriko Rakotoarimanana pass 10 yards away from goal in the 40th minute.
Once again scoring in bunches, the Rangers sent another goal into the back of the net to further extend the lead to 5-0 around two minutes later.
Freshman Yazzlyn Alex scored the fifth goal in the 42nd minute to make the Northwest lead 5-0 going into halftime.
NWCC started the second half the same way they started the first, on the front foot.
Alex was able to grab her second goal of the game four minutes into the second half in the 49th minute after an assist from a pair of sophomores in McMillan and Mary Logan Clark.
Hayden Moneymaker became the sixth different Northwest team member to add her name to the scoresheet in the 52nd after slotting the ball in from around five yards away from the goal.
The Rangers were able to earn the 8-0 mercy rule victory in the 84th minute when Rylee Ringold sent home an assist from another pair of sophomores in Lara Stevens and Knevel.
"We shot from all kinds of spaces," Knevel said. "When the goalkeeper dropped the ball, our mentality was to get the second ball, and we got there."
It was a pleasant sight to see so many sophomores shine for a team that has meant so much to them.
"They're like family," Knevel said. "It's just really hard to leave because the team really makes the place here."
The Rangers close out the regular season when they travel to Scooba to take on East (3-12-1, 1-9) on Tuesday, October 27 at 5:00 p.m.
"The last three games we scored and almost got a clean sheet," Knevel said. "The mentality is high getting ready for the postseason."
To stay up to date on the NWCC women's soccer team, follow the Ranger social media accounts or go to nwccrangers.com.
