By Jack Walker
The Grand Rapids Community College women’s soccer team fell short in a comeback attempt, losing 3-4 against Jackson College Wednesday afternoon at MacKay-Jaycees Park.
Jackson College scored an early goal and never looked back, leading the Raiders for the remainder of the game. The Raiders only had three shots in the first half, while Jackson had six Chances were created for the Raiders but nothing was going for the team. Only one save was needed for the Jackson College goalkeeper in the first half to keep GRCC scoreless.
Despite conceding two goals in the first half, freshman goalkeeper Abigail Russell, from South Haven, managed to save three shots from the opposing side. Including multiple diving stops, preventing the game from becoming too one-sided.
A slow start for GRCC and zero first half goals is something Head Coach Jason Hill wants the team to work on.
“The problem we need to eradicate out of our game is the fact that we allow the first 30 minutes of the game to allow them to get up two goals,” Hill said. “We didn’t come out fast and strong and understand this is college soccer you don’t have time to grow into the game. You need to go ahead and impose your will from the beginning so you don’t get put into situations like that.”
Freshman Alena Amaya, a midfielder from Grand Rapids, also spoke on the slow start to the game.
“Definitely just coming in fatigued,“ Amaya said.“I think more so we just came in a little bit tired, and just feeling out our opponent…that’s something we need to work on with more intensity in the beginning.”
After going down 0-2 at half, GRCC needed some energy to overcome the hole they dug themselves. GRCC only had three attempted shots at halftime and were going to need more offense to get back into the game.
Jackson College opened the second half with another early goal to put themselves up three goals to none. It looked as though communication and intensity were gone from the team after going down three. A spark was badly needed.
Freshman midfielder Samantha Hunting, of Ada, provided the spark for the Raiders after she got the team on the board to bring the game within two. The goal came off of a wild scramble play in which the team did not give up offensively, ultimately leading to their first shot in the back of the net on the day.
Unfortunately, soon after the Raiders’ celebrations finished, Jackson College was off to the races again scoring their fourth goal of the afternoon. Back to trailing by three goals the Raiders looked to their leading scorer, Abby Buttermore, for some late comeback magic.
Unable to score today, Buttermore was able to draw a penalty which was then converted by Alexandria Ellsworth, a freshman midfielder from Comstock Park.
Down by two goals with the time running out, the momentum felt like it had flipped in favor of GRCC. Not long after the penalty, Buttermore was on the break again and had a shot on target saved by the Jackson College goalkeeper. Luckily for GRCC, Samantha Hunting found herself in the right place at the right after Buttermore’s shot, allowing her to add to her goal tally for the day.
Suddenly, after what felt like a game that could get out of hand, the Raiders were only down one goal with over 10 minutes left to spare. Sadly, GRCC could not find the equalizer late in the game and dropped the match 3-4.
Buttermore reflected on the team’s second half push after the match.
“Once we recollected and kind of just conjoined as a team we were able to get our intensity back up,” Buttermore said. “And once we believed in ourselves again in the second half, I think that’s when we got back into it.”
The team will look to carry their momentum of the second half into their next meeting against St. Clair County Community College on Saturday, Oct. 7, at 4 p.m. in Port Huron. The team faced St. Clair County earlier this season winning, 3-2.
