Mercer County building momentum despite injuries
Mercer County Community College soccer coach Tigana Dalce looks at his team’s 4-5 record and comes up with the following observation.
“We were a good team going through a bad moment,” Dalce said.
The bad “moment” was actually a bad three weeks, when several key players were struck down by injury and the Vikings lost five of six games to fall to 2-5.
But the walking wounded are actually starting to walk without a limp and the Vikings have won two straight over Del Tech Stanton and Prince George, 6-0 and 1-0 to pick up some momentum heading into this weekend’s MCCC Classic.
“We are better than what our (4-5) record shows and a lot of people know that,” Dalce said. “The way things were going, I just have to be patient and wait for something good to happen.
“These things happen to everybody. You see the Chicago Bulls in basketball, they lose (Derrick Rose) in the playoffs and lose to Philadelphia in the first round. You look at Liverpool in the English Premiere League. One of the world’s best teams but they have a bad record because of injuries. Good teams having bad moments.”
The injuries started during a 2-0 loss to Massasoit in Massachusetts on Sep. 1. The bug hit such talented players as Kelvin Flores, Sascha Haecker, Ben Asor and Ewing’s Nana Osei. The Vikes also lost some players to ineligibility, but at least the injured are returning.
“These are guys who can step up on the field and make a big difference,” Dalce said. “They’re coming back slowly. They’re not 100 percent, but they’re all pretty much back and we’re trying to get them back in good shape.
“We started well but it’s been a tough three weeks for me, the players and the coaching staff. It’s tough when you lose some AllAmerican players.”
Even though the players are not at full strength, the impact of their return was evident in the past two shutout victories as Mercer finally starts to build some momentum.
“That’s a good thing,” Dalce said. “I told my players it’s a good mental thing for us, to get two wins back to back. We’ll continue to work hard, find a way to make the regional playoffs. The most important thing is making the playoffs and everything else falls into place.”
There is a long way to go before then, however, including this weekend’s Classic in which Mercer plays Louisburg (NC) at noon tomorrow, followed by Montgomery-Rockville. On Sunday, Louisburg-Burlington is at noon, followed by Mercer-MontgomeryRockville.
“I think a tournament like this is always good for the community and the soccer fans who want to see some teams from far away,” Dalce said. “We’ve gone to North Carolina the last couple years so they’re coming here for the first time and I think it will provide some good soccer for the fans around here.”
Especially if MCCC continues to get healthy. VOTE FOR SMITTY! The last thing Bobby Smith wants is more honors.
The Steinert High grad is one of those guys who played soccer for the sheer love of game and was happy with a “good game Smitty” from his teammates after a match. Respect from his peers and coaches meant the most to him.
But those pesky Hall of Fame voters had to make their voices heard, as Smith is a member of the U.S. National Soccer Hall of Fame, along with the Mercer County Soccer, Steinert, Rider and Philadelphia Soccer halls of fame.
His No. 10 has been retired at Rider, where he played from 1969-72 before going on to an outstanding professional career. He held Rider’s records for goals in a career (46) and a season (16) until they were broken in the late 90s.
The university is now promoting Smith for a new honor. Rider played in the Middle Atlantic Conference during Smitty’s time there. The MAC is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year by naming the league’s top athletes of all time to the MAC 100 Century Teams. Rider is encouraging local fans to give Smitty his rightful spot on the Fall team. Voting can be done until Nov. 8 by going to the Broncs website at www. gobroncs.com. Go to the men’s soccer page to find the link on how to vote for Smith.
He won’t want you to do it, but do it anyway. IMPACT FRESHMAN Thomas Sanner is certainly making his presence felt at Princeton quickly.
The freshman was named Ivy League Rookie of the Week for the third time in four weeks this past week. Sanner was named to the All-Tournament team at the Princeton Soccer Invitational after getting a goal and two assists in wins over Rider and FDU.
The forward from Indianapolis leads the Tigers (43) in scoring with two goals and four assists for eight points, while his brother Matt, a senior forward, is tied with Julian Griggs for second with two goals.
“Thomas has made a big impact so far,” coach Jim Barlow said. “He’s a big target, comfortable with the ball at his feet, a good passer, and he can finish.”
Barlow said the brothers share a competitive spirit but go about things differently.
“They do have different playing styles in that Matt is such a fighter, so tough, good in the air, competitive, and finds a way to get the job done even when it doesn’t look pretty,” the coach noted. “Thomas is competitive too, but he also is a little more of a pure forward with his movement up the field and comfort around the goal.
“They work well together and push each other. They look like they have a lot of fun playing together.”
Princeton will be counting on the brothers even more as the Ivy League season gets underway tomorrow when Dartmouth visits Roberts Field for a 5 p.m. clash.
“The guys know how important the Ivy games are, but we feel that way about every game, so hopefully the mentality and approach is similar to what we’ve been doing,” Barlow said. “But everyone gets excited for the Ivy opener and Dartmouth is always a very good team.” KNIGHTS LETHARGIC Rutgers bounced back from a tough overtime loss in its Big East opener at Georgetown to take a 2-1 win over Central Connecticut Wednesday night, but coach Dan Donigan felt it was a mistake-laden game.
“There wasn’t much excitement, nothing in the air,” Donigan said. “That can lead to that kind of performance.”
Rutgers enters the teeth of its Big East schedule by hosting Louisville, 1 p.m., Sunday at Yurcak Field.