Falls sports are in full swing at Virginia Peninsula Community College as the men’s soccer team and women’s volleyball team each played two matches last week. The soccer team split their games, but the volleyball team went 0-2.
Soccer:
The Gatos opened the week with a 10-0 rout of Mid-Atlantic Christian University on Tuesday, Aug. 27, at Kiln Creek Park in Yorktown.
Dieumerci Anania had a hat trick, and five other Gators scored in a game they controlled from the beginning. Anania scored the game’s first goal 20 minutes in, after a nice pass from Hayden Bright. The Gators scored three more before halftime for a 4-0 lead at the break.
In addition to Anania’s three goals, Michael Gallagher and Cameron Bowman each scored twice. Cody Cole, Yoseph Asenga and Abdullah Ahwala rounded out the scoring for the Gators. Goalkeepers Connor Gates and Keith Utsey shared in the shutout and kept things organized at the back all night.
Three nights later, the Gators took on NAIA opponent Bluefield University at Wanner Stadium in James City County and lost 6-1.
After giving up two goals in the first 15 minutes, VPCC kept Bluefield scoreless the final 30 minutes of the half. The strong defense continued into the second half until the Rams scored off a turnover after 15 minutes.
The Gators got on the board when Cody Cole scored with 5:11 left. Bluefield answered with two goals in the final five minutes.
“We hung in there,” coach Kevin Darcy said. “I hated to give away two late goals … 4-1 would have looked much more respectable than 6-1. And it didn’t need to be 6-1.”
He singled out midfielder Hayden Bright and defender Yoseph Asenga for their play.
“I thought Hayden Bright played excellent. In the back. Yoseph Asenga was excellent all night. He was real solid,” Darcy said.
Women’s volleyball
The team opened its first season in the NJCAA with a tough three-set loss to Bryant & Stratton College on Wednesday, Aug. 28.
After taking a 23-22 lead in the first set, the Gators gave up the next three points to lose 25-22. In the second set, the Gators led early but fell 25-17 after staving off one set point. Set three also was close, with the Gators trailing just 19-14 before losing 25-16.
They struggled with their serve, committing 14 service errors.
Kingsleigh Guinn (Kecoughtan HS) had 10 kills and seven aces for the Gators, Ashleigh Yost (Smithfield HS) added seven kills, seven aces and nine digs, and Molly Grazier (Kaufman HS in Texas) had six kills and five aces. Berkeley Stenger (Peninsula Catholic HS) contributed 28 assists, and Ella McConnell (Smithfield HS) had six digs.
The Gators returned to action two nights later and lost to Patrick & Henry Community College in straight sets at the Boo Williams Sportsplex in Hampton. The scores were 25-12, 25-20 and 25-17.
Yost had eight kills, four blocks and nine digs against Patrick & Henry. Guinn had five kills and seven digs. Stenger added 18 assists.
The Gators committed 17 hitting errors and their hitting percentage was just 22%. They had eight service errors and just five aces.
For complete schedules, go to www.vpccgators.com. For more information on VPCC, visit www.vpcc.edu.