MCCC Women's Soccer Nationally Ranked
For the first time in program history, MCCC women’s soccer is ranked in the top 20 (19th) in NJCAA Division II Soccer. MCCC women’s soccer was Division I until 2019. Mercer women’s soccer has won twelve straight games and is 12-1-1.
Freshman striker Eva Sturm (Berlin, Germany/Gymnasium Steglitz) has led the MCCC offense and is one of the top goal scorers in the country, with 17 goals in 13 games. Sturm’s 17 goals is sixth most in Division II women’s soccer this season.
Sophomore winger Annika Maringer (Asperg,Germany/Gymnasium IB Asperg) has six goals and four assists and is second on the team (behind Sturm) in points with sixteen points. Freshman Louise Stritch (Preston Lancashire, England/Archbishop Temple) is tied with Sturm as team leader in assists with six.
Mercer has scored 57 goals in 14 games, which is 13th best in NJCAA Division II soccer.
Mercer’s defense is led by sophomore goalie Celina Oliviera (Ancara, Potugal/Escola Basica e Secundaria do Vale do Ancora), who has 49 saves in 13 games. Mercer has eight shutouts this season, which is fifth best in the nation.
Sophomore defenders Sierra Mitchell (Ewing, NJ/Ewing HS) and Luana Nascimento (Cariacica,Brazil/Colegio Estadual Do Espirito Santo) and sophomore midfielders Fiona Madigan (Dublin, Ireland/Final Community College) and Laura Kucharz (Singen, Germany/Friedrich Wohler Gymnasium) anchor the MCCC defense. Madigan has also been a force offensively, scoring five goals.
Another strength of Mercer’s team this year is their depth. Defensively Mercer has gotten strong contributions from sophomore Francesca Wright (Beccles, UK/Sir Leman High School and Sarah Kircher (Celle, Germany/Hermann Billung Gymnasium).
On the offensive side, freshman winger Linnea Rameil (Lennestadt, Germany/Gymnasium Maria Konigin) has four goals and two assists. Freshman forward Julia Fillat Ferrer (Barcelona, Spain) has four goals and one assist and freshmen wingers Mia Belton (Mount Holly, NJ/Rancocas Valley) and Ana Pacheco (Florinapolis, Brazil) have each scored four goals.
Freshman midfielder Maddie Harrison (Hamilton, NJ/Hamilton West) has been strong for Mercer on both sides of the ball.
Mercer will look for their thirteenth straight win when they host Ocean CC at 12:00 PM on Saturday, October 19th. But more important than the Vikings’ winning streak is the Region 19 Playoffs, where MCCC will look for a Region title and the chance to advance to the District and National Championships.
The first step towards a Region title begins on October 31st at 4:00 PM when the #1 seed Vikings host the #4 seed Sussex CCC.
For the latest on Vikings’ women’s soccer, visit: https://www.mccc.edu/athletics_women_soccer.shtml
