Eva Sturm, freshman from Berlin and Region 19 Player of the Year, going for the ball in home game vs. Brookdale Community College on September 10, 2024. Mercer won 9-0. PHOTO | Steve Schreiber
MCCC’s women’s soccer won the Region 19 Championships for the NJCAA Division II. After a 2-1 loss in the previous year’s regional championship game, MCCC took a 10-0 win against the same opponent, Essex County College.
Women’s soccer team after Region 19 win against Essex County College at home on November 2, 2024. PHOTO | Annika Meringer
Coach Ron Stinson says “It was a big accomplishment for the girls to come back and win.”
The team then went on to the Eastern Division Championship for the NJCAA and lost 4-3 against Anne Arundel County College in a home game on November 8.
The game started with two goals from Vikings players Linnea Ramiel and Annika Maringer. Then Anne Arundel answered with four goals of their own. Ramiel managed a third goal at the end of the second half.
Ramiel said of the game, “Of course, the loss in the district final was sad for all of us but we were so proud we made it that far.
The loss to Anne Arundel prevented the team from going to Nationals, but their success gained attention as Coach Stinson received the Region 19 Coach of the Year award and freshman Eva Sturm was awarded Regional Player of the Year. Sturm had 9 goals and four assists in the regional tournament alone.
Sturm, who, like Ramiel, is from Germany, joined players representing seven different countries on this year’s team.
In regards to team cohesion, Ramiel said, “I feel like our season went amazing overall, we had a great record and a great team!… The sophomores from last year are very experienced and definitely made us as successful as we were in the end. We did a lot of team bonding activities as well which was really nice and I think really helped the chemistry on the pitch to evolve!”
Coach Stinson said, “The girls did a great job of coming together in just a few short months.”
