T-Birds advance to Nationals
Mike Fowler
Mesa Legend
For the second straight season, the MCC women’s soccer team earned an invitation to the NJCAA National Tournament.
By stringing together three consecutive shutouts, the T-Birds, ranked #6 nationally, were crowned ACCAC Conference and NJCAA District Champions.
In Regional Tournament play, Mesa was able to exact revenge on their two regular season conference losses to Pima and Chandler-Gilbert, respectively.
After a first round bye, the #2 seeded T-Birds faced Pima CC at home, Oct. 27, with single elimination on the line. A first half goal by team scoring leader Heather Perry, put Mesa ahead for good in the hard fought, 1-0 victory.
Head Coach Tim Barmettler felt that the team played well against a serious threat, with the 2004 player of the year, Krystle Ahumada, on the other side of the ball. “Their backs were against the wall, they knew it, and they stepped it up,” said Barmettler.
Regional Finals saw Mesa travel to the #1 seeded Chandler-Gilbert Coyotes, Oct 30. Second team All-Conference forwards Heather Perry and Ashley Straub, each contributed with one goal each in the second half for a 2-0 victory.
After the ACCAC Conference trophy ceremony, and a near dousing from the water cooler, Coach Barmettler praised the team’s play. “The team came out very focused and business like,” said Barmettler. “Every girl played so hard, it was a great team effort.”
For the District Championship, Mesa flew to Dallas, Texas, to face West Texas Regional Champions, Cisco Junior College.
Freshman midfielder Michelle Martinez, scored the game’s only goal in the 8th minute of the match, locking the victory for Mesa, 1-0. Martinez received a pass from forward Ashley Straub 20 yards out from goal and then unleashed a powerful shot that left the Cisco keeper stranded, as it flew into the upper corner of the goal.
The goal was Martinez’s 12th of the season and Straub’s assist made for a team leading eleven on the year.
Although the team came out sluggish due to the week long break, according to Coach Barmettler, the girls picked up the pace as the game progressed. “We played soft in the first half and got ourselves into some dangerous situations early,” said Barmettler.
“Once we got our heads straight in the second half, everybody stepped up, defense played strong, along with the midfield and strikers creating opportunities.”
MCC Goalkeeper Kim Kukla was named MVP of the match after she made five saves in the second half to deny Cisco the game tying goal. Kukla, who is statistically ranked in the top five goalkeepers in the nation, finished the game with eight saves and earned her 14th shutout of the season.
“Late in the game, Kim came up with some huge saves,” said Barmettler. “She really earned the recognition that she received, she’s a great goalkeeper.”
The NJCAA National Championships will be held in Phoenix this year, Nov. 18-21, with eight teams being invited throughout the country. With so much time to wait, Coach Barmettler wants to keep the team alert.
“We’re going to have a lot more inter-squad scrimmages, where the girls play their positions,” said Barmettler. “We want to keep in the mind-frame of playing games, and to try and keep focused on what were doing on the field come game time.”
In last year’s National tournament, Mesa was eliminated in the first round of play.
With eight teams being invited to the National Tournament, only three wins separate the T-Birds from a NJCAA National title.
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