PALATINE, ILL. - Some times a team just has your number, which proved to be the case this year for the Madison College men's soccer team as it lost 4-1 to Harper College in the NJCAA Region IV Division III Tournament Semifinal on Tuesday. The third-seeded WolfPack took losses in all three meetings this fall against the second-seeded Hawks, and finish their season with a 10-5-1 record. It's the first time in three years Madison College will not play in the region championship.

The third match between the two programs in a 19 day stretch started out in near identical fashion to the first meeting in which a first minute goal proved to be the difference in a 1-0 decision. Once again, Hawks freshman Jose Garcia-Lopez netted the game's first goal just seconds into the action. The only difference this time around, was that Garcia-Lopez doubled-down and followed it up seconds later with yet another goal to put the WolfPack in a 2-0 hole just 45 seconds after the opening whistle.

Madison College answered four minutes later with a Ryan Traynor goal on the team's second shot on goal of the game. The first career goal for the freshman from McFarland, Wisconsin, came unassisted and narrowed the deficit to just one.

Unfortunately, it would be the only goal the 'Pack would score in the match, and Harper added a third in the 26' to take a 3-1 lead into halftime. The Hawks tacked on one more goal in the second half to finish off the victory.

Harper College (9-5-2) owned a 16-6 advantage in total shots over Madison College, including an 11-6 edge in shots on goal. Dejesus Herrera, who set the single season record for goals scored in 2018 with 23, attempted four of the team's six shots, but came up empty.

Freshman Saxon LaFlash allowed all four goals and made seven saves in his 88 minutes of work. Fellow first year Msughter Abel Dzoho played the final minute and eight seconds. 

The all-time series now stands at 15-8-1 in favor of Harper College, which advances to the NJCAA Region IV Division III Championship to play fifth-seeded Elgin Community College (12-7-2) after the Spartans upset top-seeded Triton College.



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