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Posted: Nov 29, 2023

Defending champs Prairie State nearly survive pool play at NJCAA Championships

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

TUCSON, ARIZ. & GASTONIA, NC - Three teams represented Region 4 at NJCAA national tournaments to conclude the 2023 fall season. Defending Division II national champion Prairie State College went 1-1 in pool play, but joined Rock Valley College in the list of teams unable to advance into the bracketed quarterfinal round in the desert. Meanwhile, Harper College lost a consolation match in penalty kicks and went 0-2 at the Division III tournament along the east coast.

One year after a all-Region 4 national championship game, the two region squads at the 2023 NJCAA Division II Men's Soccer Championships were unable to advance through pool play. In Pool A Prairie State College opened with a dramatic 1-0 victory over #12 Patrick & Henry Community College. Thiago Souza tallied a corner kick goal to send the Pioneers into a win-and-advance match with top-seeded Northeast Community College. An unassisted goal in the 42' proved to be the difference in a 1-0 setback that ended PSC's season with a 17-3-1. Sophomore Leo Dutra was named to the 2023 NJCAA All-Tournament Team.

Rock Valley College earned an at-large bid into the field of 12, however, the #9-seed Golden Eagles opened Pool D play with a 7-0 loss to #4 Iowa Lake Community College, who eventually went on to win its first national championship. In their second match, RVC dropped a 5-1 contest against #5-seed Pima Community College and finished the campaign with a 13-8-2 mark.

At the 2023 NJCAA Division III Men's Soccer Championships, #8-seeded Harper College drew the unfortunate assignment of taking on #1-seeded and five-time defending national champion Dallas College-Richland in the quarterfinal round, where they lost 9-0 to a Thunderducks team that went on to claim a sixth consecutive title. The Hawks then fought tooth-and-nail with #5 Camden County College to a scoreless draw through two overtimes, and eventually lost 5-4 in penalty kicks to close out their season at 4-6-3. Sophomore Ramon Orozco was named to the 2023 NJCAA All-Tournament Team, while Harper College was awarded the Sportsmanship Award.