RIVER GROVE, ILL. - Saturday's NJCAA Region IV Division III Men's Soccer Championship Game came down to penalty kicks after Madison College and Triton College were unable to settle a winner in through regulation and two overtime sessions. In the end, the top-seeded Trojans prevailed 5-4 over the second-seeded WolfPack in extra kicks to remain unbeaten and advance to the NJCAA District C Tournament. Madison College ends their season with an 11-5-1 record and with a loss in the championship for the second consecutive season.
Early in the second half the WolfPack faced a bleak situation trailing 3-0 to a team that outscored them 6-1 during two losses in the regular season. However, coach
Cory Sims and Madison College summoned everything they had and mounted an epic rally. It began with an uncharacteristic jolt from Triton, which scored an own goal in the 65' to get the 'Pack on the scoreboard and provide a little momentum. Continuing to put pressure on the Trojans defense, sophomore
Jake Andrews converted a
Marco Peruzzo pass in the 72' to draw Madison College within one. Down to their final six minutes, reigning North Central Community College Conference MVP and All-American
Toby Andrews came through with the equalizer. Once again it was Peruzzo, a Vicenza, Italy, native, that provided another perfect pass, giving him a team-best seven assists for the season.
In the first overtime, the WolfPack outshot the Trojans 2-0, with both coming off the foot of
Jake Andrews and one being on goal, while the Trojans attempted a pair of unsuccessful corner kicks. The second ten-minute OT featured a single shot that sailed high for Triton, and leaving the teams to settle the score in penalty kicks.
The Trojans (16-0-1) grabbed an early advantage in the PK's, putting their first attempt past WolfPack sophomore goalkeeper
Blake Dehn, while second year midfielder
Casey Risch missed the opening try to Madison College. Both teams converted their next two opportunities, with Jake and Toby going back-to-back. When Triton came up empty on their fourth try and sophomore midfielder/forward
Ricardo Ramos drilled his, the teams were back to even at 3-3. Kick-for-kick they stayed even over the next two rounds, each with a make (
Shane Paterson) and a miss (Peruzzo). The title and a spot in the District C Tournament came down to the seventh round, when Triton College's Kevin Flores beat Dehn just ahead of miss by freshman
Logan Sandin-Carstens.
Both goalkeepers were credited with one save and three goals allowed prior to the penalty kicks. The two top seeds finished with four shots on goal each, while the Trojans owned a 12-8 edge in total shots and a 3-0 margin in corner kicks.
For the Andrews twins, the goals were the eighth and 18th for Jake and Toby, respectively. Toby moves into a tie for the second for most goals in a season, one back of the all-time record, as well as furthered his career goals scored record to 33.
Madison College is now 6-17-1 all-time against Triton College and have just three wins in the past 20 matches dating back to 2005.
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