The NECC men’s soccer team put on a show this season and made some waves in the championship race. 

NECC soccer fans witnessed something special this year as their team played a top-notch campaign. 

The team made it all the way to the men’s NJCAA championship quarterfinals after an impressive season and according to the NECC Knights home page they finished in fifth place nationally for NJCAA men’s soccer. 

Stats from Presto Sports show them having a record of 13 wins 4 losses and 1 tie. 

Their most impressive stretch of the season came when they won 7 straight games from Sept.. 6 to Oct. 7. This month-long win streak was capped off by a crushing 9-0 victory over MassBay Community College. 

The team’s success can be contributed to the strength of their offense. 

According to Presto Sports in the 17 games they played this year they scored a total of 53 goals averaging 3.12 per game. 

NECC’s ability to maintain stellar offense while playing at home or away was exemplary. 

They scored 26 goals in 8 games at home and 22 in 7 games on the road. This consistency was key for a successful season. The team also averaged 2.12 assists per game to further bolster the offense. 

The team was strong and full of belief this season. As they grew closer as a team they grew in success as well. 

“In the beginning it was tough with a lot of new players trying to build chemistry,”  Head coach Eusebio Marote said. “But as the season went on things started to click.” 

This strong team dynamic boosted the squad to major success this year, eventually culminating in a fifth-place national finish. 

Coach Marote attributes the team’s success this year to their talent and size 

“We were a very talented group this year,” Marote said “The talent was above and beyond. It’s the biggest roster we’ve ever had.” 

Team captain, MVP all region, and exercise science major Christian Colem described the team moral as “A brotherhood.” 

“We were really a family since the start,” he said. 

Colem says that building chemistry over the offseason and putting in the work every day is what made them so close. 

“Practice every day, that’s what makes us different than everyone else,” he said.  

This determination and skill would eventually lead the team into the playoffs.

 They would take the Northeast district championship over Bristol Community College in a close 4-3 game. 

This would qualify them for the division three championship round. 

They would fall to Bergen Community College in the quarter finals before going on to secure a fifth place national finish in a win against Raritan Valley Community College. 

NECC took down Raritan CC in a decisive 4-0 victory on a cold night in New York. 

“They wanted this and this is the highest we’ve ever placed.” Coach Marote said, referring to the team’s drive for success “Fifth is the number to beat going forward.” T

he team hopes to build on this successful season and continue to be a winning program in the future.