By By Austin Bishop/The Meridian Star
Nov. 12, 2001
Meridian Community College head soccer coach Steve Clements knows all about the intimidation that surrounds the NJCAA National Soccer Tournament.
Especially when it comes to the defending National Champions.
For three of the last four years, those wide-eyed players were wearing the green and white of Meridian Community College.
But this season, as the Eagles make their fourth trip to the National Tournament, it is them who will be receiving the gawks of the other players.
The top seven-ranked teams in the country according to the NJCAA will make up the eight-team single-elimination field, with the eighth team being No. 10 College of DuPage.
No. 4-ranked Meridian opens up against No. 7-ranked Johnson County (Kan.) College at 5 p.m. on Thursday.
The second-round games are at 1 p.m., 3 p.m., 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Friday, with the finals set for 1 p.m. on Sunday.
Consolation matches will be at 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. on Sunday.
Also in the tournament (and their national rankings) are: Yavapai (No. 1), Mercer County (No. 2), Bryant &Stratton (No. 3), Schoolcraft (No. 5), and Georgia Perimeter (No. 6).