MUSKEGON – If anyone ever wondered why the Muskegon Risers started a women’s team, instead of focusing on the continued development of the established men’s team, hopefully they were at Mercy Health Arena on Saturday.
That’s when the Risers women’s team, comprised of older, highly-skilled semipro players, went head-to-head with the Muskegon Community College women’s soccer team, a very good outdoor squad that had the disadvantage of never playing arena soccer before.
The final score was predictable enough – the Risers defeated the collegiate Jayhawks 11-3 – and was not terribly important.
Far more important were the looks on the faces of the girls and young women in the crowd, including the players from the West Michigan Storm 9-Under youth soccer team.
Their coach, Zita Juska, said the spectacle of seeing so many skilled women on the field, playing the game they love at a high level, sent a huge message of inspiration to her young players and others in attendance.
[1]“As a coach it means everything,” Juska said. “We wanted to show them this can be you. This can be you playing not only at 7, 8 or 9, but when you’re an adult. It’s something for them to look up to and strive for.”
One of the women showcasing their talent was Muskegon Community College forward Sammy Hecht, a Holland resident who graduated from Zeeland West High School.
Hecht was named to the National Junior College Athletic Association Division II first team All-American squad in the 2021 fall season. She and her MCC teammates posted a 16-4-1 record and advanced all the way to the NJCAA national semifinals in November.
“It was exhilarating,” Hecht said about having the chance to play indoor soccer in front of a Risers crowd. “Just seeing all the faces of the little girls and boys was awesome. You just kind of realize how impactful you can be.”
Hecht, who scored one goal in the game, said she looks forward to joining the Risers in the near future and helping to sustain the growth of women’s soccer in West Michigan.
[2]“It means the world to my teammates and I, and I’m going to continue playing in front of these fans because I’ll be part of the Risers this winter and in the spring,” Hecht said.
A new member of the Risers, Danielle Kovacevic, is a player that young Muskegon girls can look up to and respect for her impressive career history.
Kovacevic has represented the United States as a member of the national beach soccer team in international competition.
“It’s an awesome thing to be a part of,” Kovacevic said about joining the Risers. “The community that they’re building is amazing, and I’m glad to be a part of it.”
Kovacevic, who finished with two goals, is excited to see how the Risers women’s team is inspiring young female athletes in the community.
“We have the youth out here to support us,” she said. “That’s really big because that will continue to build the sport, and I’m really excited to be a part of that. It makes me keep going harder, and when I feel like slowing down, I look over and know that I have to keep giving it my all so that they have someone to look up to.”
[3]In Saturday’s game, the score was tied 2-2 after one quarter, with Jordan Nobie and Hecht scoring for the Jayhawks and Kovacevic and Aubree Deroo-Muckle scored for the Risers.
In the second quarter, the Risers outscored the Jayhawks 3-1 to take a 5-3 halftime lead. Scoring for the Risers was Deroo-Muckle, Abby Frankhouse and Jayne Veredevoogd. The lone Jayhawk goal was scored by Kendall Jones.
In the second half, the Risers ran away with the game, outscoring Muskegon Community College 6-0.
Netting goals in the second half for the Risers were Veredevoogd, Lexi Ponstein, Kovacevic, Caitlin Rebera and Lauren Peterson, who scored twice.
While Risers head coach Debbie Pekel was excited about the win, she was also excited about the product young soccer fans saw on the field.
“It was a great showing,” Pekel said. “It’s great to have the community out and show that we have a lot of homegrown talent, on both the Risers and Jayhawk rosters, playing at a high level. We have players here at the local level to be proud of. It’s vital and very important that young soccer players have someone to look up to.”