A match to remember

Montreat College takes the field with Black Mountain 9U soccer team

Fred McCormick
The Valley Echo
October 24, 2022

A few things stood out, Oct. 15, as Montreat College hosted Point University in an Appalachian Athletic Conference matchup. The bright blue sky over Pulliam Stadium illuminating the colorful fall foliage created an ideal setting for soccer, while the Cavaliers overcame a 1-goal deficit midway through the second half to force a 1-1 tie in a tightly contested match.

While those details contributed to a pleasant and entertaining evening of soccer, none of them will be as memorable to the young Black Mountain players who joined the home team on the field just moments before play began.

Team Phoenix, a local 9-and-under team that began competing in the Asheville Buncombe Youth Soccer Association in 2017, was greeted by the Montreat soccer team and head coach Kristin Eggert. The young players chatted with their collegiate counterparts before escorting the home team to midfield for the pregame introduction and national anthem.

It’s an experience the team won’t soon forget, according to Team Phoenix head coach Lindsay Blackstone, whose daughter Addi has been watching Cavaliers home games for years. Addi, a member of the youth soccer team, was approached earlier this season with an opportunity to meet the players and coaches on the field before a game, and she responded by asking if her team could join.

“They’ve all been so excited about this,” said Lindsay, who, along with Team Phoenix assistant coach David Leslie, joined the players to the field before the Saturday evening match. “We are so thankful to Coach Eggert and the team for being so welcoming and taking the time to meet our players.”

The nine players on the Team Phoenix roster compared uniforms with Montreat players and asked questions about the team mascot, Calvin the Cavalier. The group presented a hand-made card to Eggert and her players before returning to the stands to cheer on the home team.

“This is a group of local girls who love playing together,” Lindsay said of her team. “They look up to these players, so having an opportunity to meet them and walk out on the field with them is something this team is going to remember for a long time.”

Photos of 9U Team Phoenix meeting the Montreat Cavaliers can be viewed in the gallery at the top of the page.

Sports, LifestyleFred McCormick