POPLARVILLE, Miss. — One hundred wins at Pearl River couldn't have come in a bigger moment for men's soccer coach Drew Gallant as the No. 13 Wildcats took down archrival No. 14 Gulf Coast 2-1 Friday night at the PRCC Soccer Complex.
"Gulf Coast is a top team every year. We're so close to each other and all of these guys have grown up playing with each other," Gallant said. "It's a massive rivalry, but there is so much respect between the coaching staffs. They leave it all on the field just like us and that's why its so fun."
Gallant talked about achieving his 100th win as the head coach of Pearl River.
"It was great to achieve this tonight, but it has nothing to do with me," he said. "It's the program as a whole and all of the players that I have had over the years that made this happen."
Pearl River (4-3 overall; 2-0 MACCC) struck first just nine minutes into the match. Zach Howard (Ocean Springs) received a pass on the left wing, cut inside and fired a precise shot along the ground and across the box that found the far post for the opening goal.
Gulf Coast (5-3; 1-1) answered in the 40th minute, knocking home an incredible shot on the volley to even the score heading into halftime.
The decisive Pearl River goal came in the 65th minute. Ashtin Yard (Biloxi) sent a perfectly lofted ball into the box. Drew Rumery (Ocean Springs) crashed past the defenders and lept high into the air. He headed the ball perfectly on target and got it past the MGCCC goalkeeper, giving the Wildcats a 2-1 lead.
"Drew is really good in the air," Gallant said. "A lot of players might have gotten scared in that situation, but he took it like a man. He's starting to get more and more minutes and is really becoming a big assest for us."
In the final minutes, goalkeeper Cameron Kent (Brandon) made key saves in the 81st and 83rd minute, while also punching away multiple threats to preserve the victory.
NEXT UP
Pearl River heads to Ridgeland to take on Holmes Tuesday at 3 p.m. There will be no livestream for the match.
For the latest on Pearl River Community College athletics, follow us on X (@PRCCAthletics) and Facebook (PRCCAthletics).
