Daily Archives: September 15, 2022

Slider, Sports

Knights Soccer loses their first game of the season

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On Saturday, Sept. 10 Central Maine Community College defeated NECC Knights 6 to 1 in Aburn, Maine.

Before the game I had a chance to talk with NECC Soccer head coach Eusebio Marote.

“We’re hoping obviously to get a result today, long drive player’s got to make sure they are still focused today and I believe this team won their conference last year and they are going to be a tough opponent so we are just going to battle and match their intensity and hopefully get the result,” he said.

Coach Morate was right, it was a tough opponent for the Knights. The Knights were losing five to one at the end of the first half. Central Maine out scored the Knights 10 to 3 on shots on goal. The only goal for the Knights was Jonathan Diaz of Methuen who scored his third goal of the season just in two games.

The goal of Jonathan Diaz came in a penalty kick on 10 minutes of the game.

The first 11 minutes of the game they were combined of three goals.

Two of Central Maine and one for the Knights.

They were a lot of changes during the game, a lot of substitution players came in and came out back and forth during the course of the game.

I asked coach Marote about the struggle the Knights had in the first half they weren’t productive like on opening day as the Knights were in the slow starts.

Knights Soccer in action against Central Maine Community College
Knights Soccer in action against Central Maine Community College Photo by Editor-In-Chief/ Sports Editor Jose Rodriguez

“Yeah, you know I think we started off a little slow our guys wasn’t ready for those first moment a couple of mistakes as of fouling and a crucial area they capitalize on their two chances so when they were up 2-0 you know very early it kinda put our guys heads down. I tried to motivate them to move forward, we did for a bit, we scored that goal it was 2-1 most of the first half until the last 15 to 20 minutes of the second half that’s when we ran out of gas…” he said after the game.

The Knights in the first half had three saves while Central Maine only had one. Central Maine only had five corner kicks and Northern Essex three in the first half. Central Maine also had six fouls while the Knights had three.

In the second half the Knights needed a miracle as they were down by four with just 45 minutes left in the game.

Coach Marote talked to his players during the half time to know they still in this game for a chance for a comeback and there is no quitting on this ball club. “I told them to keep their heads up to keep working,start the half new like it was 0-0 game. Tried to come back and scored couple more if we can unfortunately we couldn’t do that we were defending for a good amount of the game…” he said.

Central Maine were looking to increase their lead attacking the zone but they didn’t capitalize including one of the shots almost went in on the 76 minutes in into the game.

In the second half the referee was issuing yellow cards something that we did not see at all in the first half.

On the 54 minutes of the game Rayane Elmakhlouk of Methuen had a yellow card. 10 minutes later on the 64 minutes it was Ibrahim Dubai of Lewiston, Maine, who had a yellow card and finally for the Knights it was Sam De Amorim of Methuen.

Central Maine scored one more goal in the second half on the 80 minutes of the game. It was the second goal of the game of Romana Bassa of Lewiston, Maine. Both goals that he scored during the game were unassisted to make it 6 to 1.

“We need to focus on communication and just you know defending first, I mean that’s the main thing, defend,attack. The important thing we can improve o, focused on defending…” said NECC soccer player Fadi Serhan of Methuen.

He also said in the second half they were playing decent having control of the ball most of the time. The Knights had a few chances to score in the second half but they didn’t have luck as the ball didn’t pass through the goalkeeper.

In the second half the Knights had four shots on goal while Central Maine only had 10 shots on goal. Both the Knights and Central Maine had two corner kicks. The Knights had five saves while Central Maine only had two. Knights had five foul and Central Maine only had four.
Slider, Sports

Knight’s Volleyball loses on opening night

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On Thursday, Sept. 8 NECC Knights Women’s Volleyball lost three sets to none against New Hampshire Technical Institute (NHTI) in Concord, NH.

The Knights lost the first set 25-10, the second set 25-19 and the third set 25-12.

They arrived 30 minutes early before game time and they were practicing and warming up before the game.

The referees blew the whistle at 7:06 for the start of the game.

The first set NHTI scored the first two points of the game. Tabitha McMinniman of Bradford scored the first point for the Knights. The Knights were down 8 to 1 and 12 to 1 when head coach Mike Pelosi decided to use his first two timeouts of the game. Their third point of the game came by their captain Kaithlene Perez-Flores of Lowell. Once again McMinniman scored on that set and also their captain Perez-Flores. The Knights lost the first set 25 to 9.

Knights Volleyball against NHTI
Knights Volleyball against NHTI Photo by Editor-in-Chief/ Sports Editor Jose Rodriguez

“I think the first set this is the first time we played as a team in a game, it was a good opponent. They are a solid team, a big crowd, wide open gym, noisy. I think they were nervous the caliber of play you saw today in the first it was nothing like you saw yesterday (during practice) it took them a while to gather their nerve. Unfortunately emotions are infectious so two of them were nervous it brought us the other one I think it took them a while to get them into the groove,” Coach Pelosi said.

 During the second set the Knights were more focused and relaxed. After coach Pelosi called a time out what ever he said to his players worked. the Knights were on a 10-3 run to pull a comeback and made it 17 to 17 but wasn’t enough as NHTI answered back on a 8-2 run and the Knights lost the second set 25 to 19. The Knights were down two sets to none.

“I think we started getting excited once you get in a run you get excited you gain momentum you start working together better communicating and then the other team kinda got scared because they didn’t expect you to do that so it kinda all goes together, as a team really excited,” NECC Knights women’s volleyball player Caroline Burns of Haverhill said.

On the third set the Knights jumped over in front with scoring the first two points of the third set NHTI answer back having a 4-2 lead. The Knights tied the game at eight a piece then the Knight’s didn’t have nothing going as NHTI finished the third seat on a 17 to 4 run as the Knights lost 25 to 12 and lost on three straight sets.

I asked coach Pelosi after the game what the girls have to work on and to improve for the next game.

“I think serves see consistency is a big one, serves consistency this was our back up back up line up and I don’t say that as an excuse, we could’ve played better we (had) players playing in position that they normally wouldn’t be playing so I think working in a coordinative faction in the court leading the center take control the second ball composure some of the chaotic plays I think serving and offensively I don’t think we were being very strategic so being more strategic where we place the ball,” he said.

Slider, Sports

Johnathan Diaz scores two goals as the Knights defeated the Seawolves on Opening Day

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On Wednesday, Sept. 7 the NECC Knights Men’s Soccer team opened the 2022 campaign by defeating Southern Maine Community College 3 to 1 at Portland, Maine.

Both teams were warming up before the game doing their normal pre-game routine. The referee called the captain of both teams for a toss up to see who would get the ball first.

It was Southern Maine getting the ball first by winning the coin toss from Northern Essex.

The referee blew the whistle at 4:03 p.m. for the start of the game.

The Knights 10 minutes in into the game did a quick change — it was Sem Millambo of Lawrence who came in for Zack Mahaba of Boxford.

The Knights’ first foul came 15 minutes into the game by Andrew Valdez of Lawrence.

On the 26 minutes the Knights were awarded a penalty kick. It was Jonathan Diaz of Methuen who took the shot and scored the first point of the game to give the Knights a 1-0 lead.

Knights Soccer warming up before there game against Southern Maine
Knights Soccer warming up before there game against Southern Maine Photo by Editor-in-Chief/ Sports Editor Jose Rodriguez

On the 31 minutes a foul was called on Jake Igoe of Haverhill. Southern Maine was awarded a free kick.

Six minutes between his first goal Diaz did it again, his second goal of the game put the Knights 2-0.

On the 41 minute the referee pulled a yellow card to Gabe Moreira of Dracut.

I had a chance to talk to head coach, Coach Eusebio Marote after the game and asked how important was having a 2-0 lead at the half.

 “It’s huge we’re going into the second half, you know being in the good end of it …gives you more confidence that you finished off the game on top,” he said.

The Knights in the first half had nine shots on goal while Southern Maine had seven. The Knights also had three corner kicks while Southern Maine had none. Both teams committed three fouls while Knights goalkeeper had four saves in the first half and Southern Maine three. In the first half the Knights just had one yellow card while Southern Maine none.

On the 48 minutes of the game Sam De Amorim of Methuen cored the third goal of the game. All three goals for the Knights were unassisted, two from Diaz and one from De Amorim.

On the 52 minutes Matheus Moreira of Dracut  was issued with another yellow card which means he had two yellow card which equals a red card. The Knights played the final 38 minutes with one man short.

On the 68 minutes the Knights goalie Anhuar Ramos Garcia of Nashua, New Hampshire, was issued a yellow card.

Coach Morate was issued a yellow card for arguing the call in the field during the 71 minutes of the game.

“I personally spoke one time about a foul on one of my players that I thought it was dangerous play, I think he didn’t see it, you know my players could get really seriously injured. I’m here for my players I had to talk about it because it got on scene overlooked, I think we deserve a penalty in that situation so it was a little miscommunication I guess with me and the ref. At the end of the day it is what it is I believe it was my first one as a coach so it’s going to happen one day,” he said.

Southern Maine first yellow card of the game came in the 74 minutes. It was David Wilson of Merrimac.

Emerson Murillo of Haverhill had a yellow card in the 75 minutes.

On the 82 minutes Laszlo Dorogi of West Boylston scored the first goal for Southern Maine, an assist of Eriksen Shea of Freeport, Maine.

Southern Maine outscored the Knights in the second half on shots on goal 14 to 3 .

“We were a man down like 38 minutes left in the game,so being with a man down obviously a lot more tired to go forward, you got to defend a little harder. Teams are putting a little bit more pressure on you so at that point you focusing on not allowing a goal keeping the lead three goal up so it’s a good cushion trying to defend out we finished it off,” Coach Marote said.

The Knights had four saves in the second half while Southern Maine one. Both teams had two corner kicks while the Knights had seven fouls and Southern Maine two.

Sports

NECC hosts baseball tryouts

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The NECC Knights baseball team recently held tryouts for the next season.

Tryouts were held at Trinity stadium on Sept 1 at 9 a.m. for infielders and catchers and 10:30 a.m. for outfielders. All positions meet Sept. 2 at 10:30 a.m. at Trinity stadium.

Time commitment for the team is up heavy. Between practices and extra work will add up to a total of 40 hours a week. Skills needed are the ability to run, throw and pitch at a high level.

Team sports offers exercise to remain in shape and create friendships.

“That’s one of the best parts of the job to see the friendships born through athletics, blood, sweat and tears. The guys come together that will last a lifetime,” said Baseball Head coach Jeff Mejia.

A tryout does not guarantee a roster spot. The roster size for the team is limited to carrying 34 players at practice and in the spring the roster is trimmed down to 28. Roster cuts are among one of coach Mejia’s most unpleasant parts of the job, he said.

“We try to evaluate every student athlete as thoroughly as we can, but we take it very seriously because we realize if we are cutting a student athlete it may be the last time they ever play. That’s a very difficult part of the job, but a necessary part of the job,” Mejia said.

Every athlete in the previous seasons has brought their own equipment such as baseball gloves and bats, but some equipment can be provided if needed.

What coach Mejia is looking for in his athletes is “to be in good academic standing with the college” and “someone with the skill set good enough to be a good contributor to our baseball program.”

For additional information about baseball at NECC contact Jeff Mejia at jmejia@necc.edu