Local Sports Journal

LIVONIA – For the first time this season, the Muskegon Community College mens soccer squad suffered two consecutive losses; first, a 1-0 loss last Saturday to Owens Community College, and then a 3-2 defeat Sunday at the hands of Schoolcraft.

Versus the latter, the Jayhawks held a 2-1 lead for about four minutes before Schoolcraft notched two goals in the final eight minutes of the match to take the victory.

Schoolcraft got on the board first when Romario Georgis bagged a penalty-kick goal 27 minutes into the match to lead 1-0, where the score stayed until after the half.

Ten minutes into the second half, MCC’s Zachary Sutton nailed a penalty-kick goal of his own to tie the match. Teammate Riley Kammeraad, assisted by Marcos Moul, put the Jayhawks up 2-1 with a goal at the 78-minute mark.

At the 82-minute mark, however, Schoolcraft’s Derek Boatright goaled, and then four minutes later, teammate Nathan Bergeson notched the game-winner.

“(It was a) very disappointing loss,” said MCC head coach Ben Ritsema. “Being up 2-1 with 12 minutes to play and then losing 3-2 is tough.

“We didn’t do a good job of playing defensively minded with the lead. We let too many Schoolcraft players get goalside on us on their attack and they capitalized on it. We have a young team and we will have to learn to play with a lead late in the game against a good team.”

Schoolcraft outshot MCC 15-12, with Jayhawk goalkeeper Loghan Stong turned back 12 shots in the loss.

Versus Owens – the only team to have beaten the Jayhawks in their first 11 matches – MCC gave up a goal to Owens’ Jacob Martin 25 minutes into the match, where the score stayed through the rest of the contest.

After a lackluster effort in the first half, Ritsema said he was more satisfied with the way his team played in the second half.

“(We) played very well in second half but just couldn’t break through the Owens’ defense,” he said. “Our ball movement was much better in the second half. We just were unlucky with not being able to put one in the back of the net.”

MCC outshot Owens 7-3, with Stong finishing with two saves. Owens goalkeeper Josh Klienow had seven saves.

With the two losses, MCC’s record now sits at 10-3 overall, 4-1 in MCCAA and 9-3 in Region XII.