By By Tony Krausz / assistant sports editor
October 1, 2004
In a split second, all of the bruises, questionable calls and fluke goals disappeared for the Meridian Community College men's soccer team.
When the Eagles' Josh Foster plugged the ball out of the air into the back of the Gulf Coast Community College Bulldogs' net in the game's 108th minute, nothing else mattered but the victory. MCC claimed a 4-3 overtime win Thursday night at home.
MCC, which lost on the road Tuesday to Mississippi Delta Community College, took over the top spot in the South Division with the win. The Eagles are 6-4 overall and 5-1 in divisional play. Gulf Coast fell to 5-6 overall and 3-2 in the South.
MCC midfielder Chad Brunson erased a 3-2 deficit late in regulation, scoring off a cross from stopper Traye Torrance.
Brunson's goal into the left side of the net off the cross from the right wing tied the game with just less than three minutes left in regulation.
MCC took a 1-0 lead six minutes into the game on a goal from forward Travis Brown. Brunson set up the game's first goal on a throw in.
Gulf Coast tied the game a the 29-minute mark when a shot by Anthony Quint skipped over MCC's goalkeeper's head into the net.
MCC striker Alejandro Alvarado erased the freakish goal by netting the ball in the 36-minute off an assist by Brunson to give the Eagles a 2-1 advantage at halftime.
The break was used to prepare the Eagles for an intensely physical second half, as the two teams crashed into each other throughout the game.
There were six yellow cards in the match.
Gulf Coast tied the game at two in the 51st minute scoring off a dead ball. The Bulldogs' Terry Boyd chipped in a goal from about 35 yards out while the Eagles were still moving into position on defense.
Freddy Howe gave the Bulldogs a 3-2 lead in the 69th minute off an indirect kick at the top of the Eagles' goal box. MCC was whistled for playing the ball back to its goal keeper's hands, resulting in the dead ball within its goal box.
GCCC (women) 1
MCC 0
The first match of the evening also spilt over into extra time, but the Lady Bulldogs did not let it last long.
Gulf Coast's women knocked in the game winning goal 40 seconds into the first golden-goal overtime period. The win improved the Lady Bulldogs' record to 3-5 overall and 3-0-1 in the South.
MCC, which defeated MDCC on Tuesday, had controlled most of the game in regulation outshooting Gulf Coast 10-4.
MCC continues the season in the Rush Invitational Classic this weekend. The Eagles will take Young Harris at 3 p.m. Saturday, and the Lady Eagles play Shelton State at 5 p.m. Saturday and Bossier Parrish at 10 a.m. Sunday.
The invitational kicks off today with Hinds Community College's women's team playing Shelton State at 4 p.m. In the invitational's men's games, Hinds plays Young Harris and Pearl River takes on Wallace Hanceville.