Smith, MCC women optimistic heading into 2012

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August 21, 2012

Smith, MCC women optimistic heading into 2012

from school reports The Meridian Star The Meridian Star Tue Aug 21, 2012, 06:00 AM CDT

MERIDIAN —     Despite the fact his Meridian Community College Eagles lost six standouts from last year's 7-6-2 team that lost in the Region 23 Championship, coach Mike Smith is all smiles.

   "We have a really good chance to win the Region 23 title this year, it's going to take a lot of work but if we do what we need to do we could have a great side,” Smith said, adding his team faces a very tough schedule, has a lot of depth this year. "We got 19 girls. We have several players with special abilities."

   One of those players is sophomore Pam Gean of Olive Branch, who finished 2011 with 14 goals and five assists, both team highs.

   "She is a good one" he said. "She has a motor that won't quit and a great work ethic."

   While the Eagles have some finesse, they also have what the better Eagle teams have always had — phsicality, but they also have speed.

   "We are going to be physical," said Smith. "The team that won the MACJC State Championship in 2007 and the squads that won the Region 23 in 2008 and 2009 were all physical teams and that's what you need at this level.

   "We have got some good speed, which has been lacking the past couple of years."

   A few of young ladies Smith is talking about are sophomore Malley Gullette, freshman Kristen Morris and freshman Taylor Hanes.

   "These 3 girls can flat out fly and that's why I wanted them" he said. Morris and Hanes are expected to be strikers for the Eagles and Gullette is expected to be a defender.

   "Our schedule has gotten tougher and tougher over the years" he said. "We like to play teams that are going to make us better. We find we are more successful when we do that. It may mean we don't win as many regular season games, but the National Tournament is what we are shooting for."

   MCC has never made it to the National Tournament in its 10 years of existence. The closest they got was in 2009 when they lost in the District E title game.

   The toughest teams the Eagles will face will be Jones on Sept. 5 and Pearl River on Sept. 25; both games are at CD Smith Field. Other schools MCC will face this year include in-state rivals Hinds and Gulf Coast. Smith has Aug. 28 circled on the calendar.

   "That's when we play Gulf Coast," he explained as Gulf Coast beat MCC in the Region 23 Championship 1-0 last year in overtime. "I know the sophomore girls are really looking forward to playing them again."

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