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Posted: Nov 21, 2022

REGION 4 DOMINANCE: Prairie State wins first national title with 1-0 defeat of rival Morton

(Image courtesy of NJCAA)
(Image courtesy of NJCAA)

TUCSON, ARIZ. - Two schools separated by roughly 30 miles traveled some 1,800 miles to set up an improbable all-Region 4 matchup in the NJCAA Division II Men's Soccer Championship, and in the end, Prairie State College won their school's first national title in any sport with a 1-0 decision over Morton College. The rematch of the Region 4 Championship was decided by freshman Josh Matiscik's game-winning goal to send the 11th-seeded Pioneers past the fourth-seeded Panthers. (Recaps: NJCAA | Prairie State | Morton)

Prairie State College's unlikely run started with a 2-0 upset of #2-seed Jones College in Pool B, and despite a 2-1 loss to #7-seed Mesa Community College, the Pioneers were awarded a spot in the national semifinals as the Pool B winner with a plus-minus of +1. Morton College, meanwhile, went 2-0 in Pool D play with wins of 2-1 over #9-seed Southeastern Community College and 3-2 over #5-seed Pima Community College.

The re-seeded semifinals pit third-seeded Morton College against second-seeded CCBC-Essex, and after finishing regulation tied 1-1, third year forward Luis Escalante netted the golden goal winner in the 108' to send the Panthers to the national final with a 2-1 win. Their opponent would also be determined well past regulation as fourth-seeded PSC battled top-seeded Phoenix College to a 1-1 tie with each scoring goals in the second half. After two scoreless overtimes, the match would be settled in penalty kicks, which the Pioneers won 4-2.

In the championshp, which marked the third meeting this season between the two rivals, neither team gave an inch through the first half, which ended 0-0. To that point in the match, Morton College owned a 9-5 lead in shots en route to a 15-10 advantage in the end. The tied turned in the 74' when Matiscik, a defender from Highland, Indiana, found himself in a 1-on-1 with Panthers goalkeeper and beat him with a low-shot off the 'keeper's right side. The Pioneers fought off four additional shots from Morton College before the horn sounded on the 1-0 win. The loss for Morton College snapped a 19-match win streak.

Prairie State College freshman Leo Dutra was named the Tournament Most Valuable Player and Most Valuable Defensive Player, while Morton College sophomore Joao Victor Rosito received the Tournament's Most Valuable Offensive Player award. Carlos Reyes of PSC earned Coach of the Tournament, with freshman Agbokou Geoffroy finding a spot on the All-Tournament Team with Morton College's Gabriel Moreira and Escalante. (NJCAA Division II Men's Soccer Championship Awards)

Prairie State College finishes the season with a 17-5-2 record, while Morton College was 19-1-1.