EMCC Lions open regular-season soccer action with competitive weekend in Missouri

SCOOBA – The East Mississippi Community College men's soccer team began regular-season play this past weekend with a pair of notable road performances against top competition from the Missouri community college ranks. A tough 3-2 setback to reigning MCCAC champion St. Charles CC on Friday was followed the next day by a well-earned 3-3 draw versus preseason 15^th-ranked Mineral Area College.

Following preseason exhibition matches versus MUW and Millsaps, the Lions received two goals from freshman Caden Pearsell during Friday's regular-season opener against St. Charles in Cottleville. The Northeast Lauderdale High School product first scored on a tap in from Roberth Campos' crossing pass in the 47^th minute to knot the score at 1-1. Pearsell then headed Daniel Abreu's corner kick into the net during the final minute of play to cut the deficit to a goal.

Pearsell continued his productive weekend in the Show Me State the following day at Mineral Area by giving EMCC an early 1-0 lead by heading in Campos' cross during the third minute of Saturday's contest in Park Hills. After then falling behind, the Lions tied the score twice during an active opening half of play against the No. 15 MAC Cardinals. Sophomore transfer Michael Godshaw had the game-tying scoring honors both times for EMCC by first knotting the score at 2-2 in the 25^th minute with a rebound goal off Campos' initial shot that was deflected by the goalkeeper. Godshaw, the 2024 Vicksburg Post's Boys' Soccer Player of the Year from Warren Central High School, then tied things up at 3-3 in the last minute of the opening half to account for the game's final score following a scoreless second half of play.

In EMCC women's action during the weekend road trip to Missouri, the Lions fell, 9-1, during Friday's match at preseason ninth-ranked St. Charles. Freshman Bella Miller, from Meridian's Lamar School, supplied EMCC's lone score by reaching the net on a corner kick during the 38^th minute. The EMCC women then dropped a 4-0 decision the following day at Mineral Area.

Coach Chris Rash's EMCC men's soccer team (0-1-1) is slated for a 4 p.m. Tuesday (Sept. 2) match at Wallace State CC in Hanceville, Ala. The Lions are then scheduled for home action on Friday (Sept. 5) with the men playing host to LSU Eunice at 3 p.m. followed by an EMCC soccer alumni game (6 p.m.) at Sullivan-Windham Field on the Scooba campus.