SCOOBA, Miss. – Despite both teams battling back from 2-0 halftime deficits, the East Mississippi Community College soccer teams fell to visiting Itawamba Community College Tuesday afternoon at the EMCC Soccer Field.  In the women’s match, the Lady Lions dropped a 5-3 decision to ICC, while the EMCC men were edged by a narrow 3-2 tally.

            In the opening contest, freshman Nikeisha Noel of Trinidad netted a hat trick for the Lady Lions to give her a team-leading eight goals on the season.  Freshman Alex Shelton of West Point earned assists on two of Noel’s goals, while fellow rookie Quashena Johnson of Starkville assisted on the other.  The EMCC women fall to 1-4-0 on the year.

            As was the case in the women’s match, the Lions got down early and trailed 2-0 at the intermission.  EMCC, now 0-4-1 for the season, responded with a pair of second-half goals by freshman Leonardo Reyes of Trinidad on assists by North Pontotoc High School product Jake Tutor.  However, the visiting Indians found the net on a corner kick with two minutes remaining to come away with the victory.

            “Both teams continue to progress, but we are starting to play too late in these matches,” EMCC head coach Junior Noel said.  “We can’t continue to get down early and just try to turn it on late to win.”

            The EMCC men will play host to Holmes Community College in a North Division match Friday afternoon beginning at 4 p.m., while the Lady Lions will step out of division play this weekend by welcoming Judson College from Marion, Ala., in a 2 p.m. contest on Saturday.  Both matches will be played at the EMCC Soccer Field.