Women's Soccer | 10/22/2018 12:11:00 AM
ELLISVILLE – Winning never gets old.
Just ask Jones College head coach
Dolores Deasley.
The 16
th-ranked Lady Bobcats captured their third straight MACJC championship here Sunday evening with a 6-1 victory over Mississippi Gulf Coast at Bobcat Soccer Field.
"I'm just extremely proud of them," said Deasley, who has led Jones to five state titles in her 11 years as head coach of the Lady Bobcats. "We set our minds early on as we always do to go win a championship. This one is extra special because it's our first time to bring home a 3-peat."
Jones, 13-2, will now host LSU-Eunice for the Region 23 championship. The game date for that contest has not be determined, but it is expected to be either Oct. 26 or Oct. 27. The winner of that game will advance to an NJCAA District Tournament playoff game.
In Sunday's contest, Jones fell behind before storming back.
MGCCC took a 1-0 lead at 10:50 when Hannah Helms scored on a penalty kick.
The Lady Bobcats tied it at 22:48 on an
Aimee Durn (London, England) penalty kick. Jones took the lead for good when
Mary Ann O'Kennedy (Sligo, Ireland) scored on a rebound off a Durn corner kick at 29:12.
Mikayla Banks (Vicksburg) made it 3-1 at 38:11 with an assist by
Rachel Barnaby (Derry, Ireland).
Jones closed the game in a flurry as Durn scored at 82:52,
Esmeralda Figueroa (Northeast Jones) put the ball in the net at 87:06 and Barnaby knocked in a free kick at 89:57.
Alexis Wilson (Long Beach) was in goal for the entire game for the Lady Bobcats.
Deasley said this year's team, which has 13 freshmen, has made strides all season.
"This group has been an absolute joy, probably one of my favorite groups on and off the field. They are a lovely wee bunch," she said. "They are fun and energetic. We've got a lot of freshmen, so I was not quite sure we had the maturity to pull us through. But game by game they kept proving themselves and proving me wrong and that was always good. Hat's off to them. They came out to win and prove a point and they keep doing it."
Jones won its first six games of the season before falling 4-0 to nationally ranked Tyler Junior College (Texas). After a win in the next game, the Lady Bobcats dropped a 1-0 decision to nationally ranked Holmes.
Since then, Jones has reeled off six straight wins, giving them a 13-2 record.
"We've had tough games along the way," Deasley said. "Obviously, we had a tough game at Gulf Coast the last time we played (a 1-0 win). But we improved and we got better after those games. We figured out the things we were doing wrong and we vowed that we would not make the same mistakes over and over.
"I think we've grown a lot and learned a lot over the season. This group has done well at just being coachable and actually trying to put into effect what we have been working on. You could not ask for more as a coach."
Now, the Lady Bobcats turn their attention to LSU-Eunice. The Bengals are in their first year of playing soccer and have posted a 7-1-1 record.
"We will enjoy this tonight, but we will come back tomorrow and Tuesday and figure out our plan going forward," Deasley said of LSU-Eunice. "It's their first season of play, but they are a strong program. We expect a tough game.
"Our girls will be ready for them and, hopefully, will prove themselves again."
MGCCC ends the year at 7-7-2.
2018 MACJC Tournament
Bobcat Soccer Field
WOMEN
Saturday's result
Mississippi Gulf Coast 0, Holmes 0 (MGCCC advances by penalty kicks, 4-2)
Jones 6, Pearl River 0
Sunday's result
Championship, Jones 6, Mississippi Gulf Coast 1
Jones will host LSU-Eunice for Region 23 title either on Oct. 26 or Oct. 27.
