The Northern Essex Community College men’s soccer team, ranked sixth in the latest national poll, captured the program’s first-ever Region 21 and Northeast District Championship on Nov. 3, with a 5-3 win over Quinsigamond Community College. In the process, the team won its 14th straight game and punched its ticket to the program’s first-ever national tournament.
The sixth seeded Northern Essex Community College men’s soccer team saw their 14-game winning streak snapped in the national quarterfinal on Nov. 12, as they fell to third seeded Mohawk Valley by a final score of 4-1. The Knights fall to 14-3 on the season.
The Hawks jumped out to 3-0 lead in the game’s opening 25 minutes as they opened the scoring at the 8:27 mark tucking a lose ball away into the corner when they Knights couldn’t clear the box. MVCC would add another pair of goals at the 18:47 mark and again at 24:03.
NECC would get on the board just before the 30 minute mark when Jadiel Bomfim (Nashua, NH) converted a penalty kick after he was taken out by the MVCC goalkeeper on a one on one scoring opportunity.
Mohawk Valley took the momentum back just three minutes later when they scored their fourth goal of the half coming down the left side of the field and beating Knights keeper Will Paganini (Derry, NH) to his right to close out the games scoring in the first half.
For the game, MVCC outshot the Knights by a 18-12 margin while Paganini was forced to make six saves compared to three for the Hawks.
The Knights who are making their first ever national tournament appearance were scheduled to close out their season on Nov. 14, against Joliet Junior College in a consolation match.
The tournament field also included the six-time defending national champion Dallas College Richland who earned the top seed, followed by Nassau Community College earning the second seed. The fourth and fifth seeds went to Camden County College and Finger Lakes Community College. The eight-team field was rounded out by Joliet Junior College and Raritan Valley Community College.
NECC entered the national tournament leading the nation in shots per game with 24.4, while their 65 goals scored and 174 points on the season both rank fifth among teams in the tournament field.
