CCBC Essex Men's Soccer Falls to Monroe University in 3-1 Battle

Written by: Michael Loman

Essex, MD- The CCBC Essex Men's Soccer team fell to Monroe University 3-1 in a hard-fought match. Despite an early goal from Monroe, CCBC Essex struggled to find their rhythm throughout the game. Monroe outshot CCBC Essex, with 12 total shots compared to Essex's 10. CCBC Essex managed 6 shots on goal, giving them a shot-on-goal percentage of 60%, but Monroe's defense and goalkeeping stood firm.

Monroe took an early lead with Harumi Yunaiyama scoring in the 9th minute, assisted by Hayato Otaka. Monroe doubled their lead in the 22nd minute with a goal from Jin Yamamoto assisted by Braxton Richards. CCBC Essex responded just before halftime when Ryunosuke Noda scored, assisted by Alexis Maldonado, keeping the Knights within striking distance at 2-1.

In the second half, CCBC Essex pushed for a comeback but could not break through. Monroe sealed the win with a third goal from Jin Yamamoto in the 56th minute, making it 3-1. Despite several attempts, including key saves by Colton Bagnall-Droug, the Knights couldn't close the gap.

Key players for CCBC Essex included Ryunosuke Noda, who scored the team's only goal, and Alexis Maldonado, who provided the assist. Bartu Yakkan also performed well, with two shots on goal, but Monroe's defense proved too difficult to overcome.

CCBC Essex will focus on regrouping after this loss, with notable performances and key adjustments in their defensive and offensive strategies needed to bounce back.