SENATOBIA - After facing adversity in recent weeks, the Northwest Mississippi Community College women's soccer team (8-2, 3-2) bounced back in emphatic fashion with a 70 minute 8-0 victory over East Central Community College women's soccer (3-3, 3-3) at the Ranger Soccer Complex.
"The last few weeks we've had a lot of adversity, both internal and external, and all you can ask for is for a team to bounce back," Head Coach James Beattie said. "They've done that. Super proud of them. I think it gives us a lot to look forward to as we get close to the end of the season."
Coming off of two ranked defeats to Jones College and Holmes Community College, the Rangers did not take long to get back to looking like the team that has become synonymous with winning.
Sophomore striker Lara Stevens got the scoring started early when she slotted home Maggie Pace's cross in the third minute.
The attack flowed through Pace in the early minutes of the game, and Pace earned her second assist of the day in just the fifth minute when she drove up the right side of the field and crossed the ball, resulting in a Yazzlyn Alex tap-in goal.
Freshman substitute Melanie Holt quickly made her presence felt when she netted her first goal of the first half after a Hayden Moneymaker cross in the 34th minute, and just two minutes later, Holt was able to complete her brace after finishing a cross from Alex.
Just like at the beginning of the first half, Northwest quickly added to the goal tally after halftime with Stevens slotting home a rebound in the 47th minute.
After a pass from Pace, freshman defender Anna Reithmeier scored a banger from 25 yards out in the 52nd minute for her first career goal for NWCC.
To complete her hattrick, Stevens sent Alex's cross into the back of the net in the 58th minute.
It is a well known fact that the Rangers do not lack talent or the ability to produce offense. The Rangers also trust their teammates to play the ball for a better shot at goal. Stevens knew this and was able to capitalize on her chances.
"Staying central and letting the wingers do their thing out wide and then waiting for it to come in," Stevens said. "All three of (the finishes) were one-touch finishes. That's what you're looking for in a striker."
Although there was initially some doubt as to whether or not the ball crossed the goal line, the eighth and final goal of the game came from a Kassidy McMillan free kick from around 20 yards out in the 69th minute.
Northwest will look to continue to build on their positive momentum and earn the Rangers' first ranked MACCC victory when they travel to Poplarville to take on the #9 Pearl River Wildcats (8-1, 5-0) on Friday, October 9, at 4:00 p.m.
"We need to keep doing what we've been doing the last week, and then, just continue to build off of that and just hope that we keep it going into Friday's game and into next week," Beattie said.
To stay up to date on the NWCC women's soccer team, follow the Ranger social media accounts or go to nwccrangers.com.
