EMCC - Athletics: Sports, News, Players, and Coaches. Go Lions! - EMCC and Southwest women battle to 1-1 soccer deadlock in two overtimes

SCOOBA, Miss. – East Mississippi’s undefeated string in women’s soccer competition has reached four consecutive matches with Tuesday’s 1-1 double-overtime deadlock at Southwest Mississippi. The Lions fell to the home-standing Bears, 2-0, in the nightcap.

In the women’s match, EMCC’s standout freshman Nikeisha Noel scored her 16^th goal of the season in the 86^th minute of the second half to knot the score at the end of regulation. Neither team could find the net during a pair of 10-minute overtime periods. Noel’s late-game tally marked her 11^th goal in her last five outings. The Trinidad & Tobago Under-20 National Team member ranks seventh among the NJCAA individual scoring leaders on the season with 16 goals and four assists for a total of 36 points.

Coach Junior Noel’s 4-4-1 Lady Lions entered Tuesday’s match in Summit having won their three previous matches all by identical 3-2 tallies.

“I’m very happy with the progress of our women’s team,” EMCC’s second-year coach noted. “We overcame some illness and injuries today and still found a way to get another positive result.”

Ironically, the East Mississippi and Southwest women battled to a 4-4 tie in an Aug. 20 exhibition match played at the EMCC Soccer Field. The Lions, now 0-8-1 overall on the year, previously claimed a 3-2 win over SMCC during the preseason.

In Tuesday’s nightcap, the Lions out-shot Southwest, 6-5, in a defensive battle but could only manage two shots on goal in the second half. The Bears scored both of their goals in the opening period of play, while the EMCC men could not take advantage of four consecutive corner kicks late in the first half.

Having finished out their home soccer slate last week, the EMCC soccer teams travel to Decatur to meet East Central CC Friday afternoon. The 2 p.m. men’s match will be followed by the women’s contest at 4 p.m.