On Thursday Sept. 15, the NECC Knights Women’s Volleyball was defeated three sets to none against Southern Maine Community College Seawolves in South Portland, Maine.

First set 25-11, second set 25-17 and the third set 25-10.

The game was originally scheduled for 6:30 but the league changed the start time to 7 pm.

The Knights almost lost the game due to forfeit as they came just 11 minutes before the clock hits 7 pm.

“Yeah, so we couldn’t leave any earlier because we wouldn’t have enough girls so we would’ve have to forfeit either way so that’s why we came a little late,” said assistant head coach active manager  Marissa Reardon.

When the Knights got there, they had 40 minutes to warm up and stretch and get ready for the game.

NECC Head Coach Mike Pelosi of Haverhill did not travel with the team to South Portland, instead it was assistant head coach Reardon in charge.

I asked her after the game why Pelosi did not travel with the team.

“He had a prior commitment that he couldn’t miss today, so he ask me to coach today and I had the opportunity to coach today,” she said.

The game officially started at 7:36 pm.

The Knights were down early against the Seawolves. The Knights was losing 13-4 when assistant head coach and active manager Reardon decided to call a time out.

The Knights was taken advantage of the opportunity as  the Seawolves was hitting the ball outside of the court which means the Knights get a point but it wasn’t enough as Seawolves won the first set 25 to 11.

I had a chance to interview Ashley Martinez of Lawrence after the game and we talked about the first set that wasn’t played aggressively aggressive like the second set.

“At first it was a little bit new we have new plays. I started playing today but then in the second set we started to communicate better process in the game” she said.

The second set the Knights played a little bet better and more aggressive. They began the set strong on a 5-0 run but then when the Knights were  winning 9-7 the Seawolves then took control of the second set. The he Knights gave up the lead and the Seawolves went on top and the Knights lost the second  set 25-7.

“Yes, I was very proud we were working on our serving and our serves set? and I definitely think the second set proved that we were working on it,” said Reardon.

Seawolves in the third set began the set on a 10-1 run. The Knights didn’t have anything to show for on the last set as they lost 25-10.

“I do believe at some point we did collapse, but we do, every team has strength and weaknesses and I think we show that in few of the sets but I believe the second set was one of our best set ever,” said assistant coach active manager Reardon.

On Tuesday Sept. 13 Massasoit Community College defeated the NECC Knights 5-0 in Warrior field in Brockton, Massachusetts.

The game started at 4:03 pm. Massasoit had a quick start in this game. Two minutes into the game Romell Brown of Eastham scored the first goal thanks to an assist of Kevin Barbosa of Brockton.

Three minutes into the game the Knights had a free kick as the call was offside. The 16 fans that were in attendance were getting restless despite the Warriors of Massasoit Community College leading 1-0 the Warriors ere committing a lot of turnover and sloppy plays. The Knights didn’t cash in and take advantage of those opportunities.

“Yeah you know their a good team, they are coached by a good guy. Unfortunately a couple situations and stuff were we could’ve been better and then you know if we don’t capitalize on that then s**t is going to happen,” said NECC Soccer Head Coach Esuebio Marote after the game.

On the 13th minutes of the game Warrior soccer player Sergio Tavares DaSilva of Brockton was issued a yellow card.

On the 20th minutes Knights goalie Anhuar Ramos Garcia of Nashua, New Hampshire made a nice save from preventing the Warriors from scoring.

On the 31st minutes Warrior soccer player Damian Anderson of New Bedford was issued a yellow card.

On the 34th minutes NECC Knights soccer player Gabe Moreira of Dracut was issued a yellow card.

On the 39 minutes of the game Hans Takang of Cameroon made it 2-0 Warriors in an assist of Marc Desire of Brockton.

I ask NECC soccer player Faddie Serhan of Middletown how the defense can get better as they missed few opportunities on the first half ?

“Yeah, we just need to finish, have shots, you know opportunity it is the most important you know take shots as most as possible one can land…” he said.

The Knights were down 2-0 in the first 45 minutes of the game.

In the second half Warriors quickly started off what they didn’t finish in the 49 minutes Angelot Jerome of Randolph made it 3-0 an assist of Gracian Moreria of Brockton.

In the 55 minutes of the game Leonard Rodriguez Ortiz of Methuen was given a yellow card.

Massasoit scored another goal but it was invalid as the run got taken away from the board because the call on the field was offside and the goal did not count and it remained 3-0 instead of 4-0.

On the 59 minutes came the forth goal of the game. It was Moreira with an assist from Marc Desire of Brockton.

At 65 minutes came the last goal of the game it was Rushawn Plummer of Hyannis an assist of Nick McMahon of Swansea.

I asked coach Marote if he believes the team needs to communicate better as they only scored one goal in the last 222 minutes?

The last time the Knights scored a goal we have to go back to opening day when Sam De Amorim of Methuen scored the third goal for the Knights in the 48th minute of the game.

“I definitely I think it’s a little bit the young guys (are) a little bit too inexperienced. You know still early in the season and the most important thing is in my opinion at the moment there hasn’t been a conference game yet. I know our first conference game is this Saturday, we’re hoping to train hard this week and try to get result on Saturday,” he said.

I told the same question to NECC soccer player  Serhan “ I would say better communication, working as a unit that’s what we are lacking the most defense first as always and we still working on that and I hope by the next game which is the conference game we get that win will be 1-0 in the conference game which that’s matter,” he said.

In the 88 minutes of the game Andrew Valdez was taken out of the game as a result of a shoulder injury while he was playing in the field.

“I think he dislocated his shoulder when back he is going to see the doctor. Unfortunately it doesn’t look good I believe we going to miss him for a while,” said Coach Marote.