Madison College Wolfpack

MADISON, WISC. - Sophomore Mason Leslie scored two goals in Wednesday's Region 4 Tournament Semifinal and led #1-seeded Madison College to a 2-1 win over #5-seeded Prairie State College at Irwin A. & Robert D. Goodman Pitch-East. Leslie, whose only prior collegiate goal came against the Pioneers in a regular season match last fall, bookended the day with goals early and late to send the defending region champs back to the title match. The win gives the WolfPack a 3-2 lead in the all-time series, with Wednesday's clash marking the first postseason get-together.

Madison College owned a 1-0 lead less than five minutes into the match. A free kick awarded to the WolfPack along the right sideline was sent by sophomore Gio Diaz into the goal box, where it took one bounce and appeared headed towards the left post. Leslie came flying in and redirected the ball back towards the right post and into the net with a lunging header for his first goal of the season.

Prairie State College (11-5-3) answered in the 28' with an free kick goal that bent over and around the WolfPack block and into the net, just missing the outstretched hands of freshman goalkeeper Thomas Randall as he leaped high and to his right. The scoring strike snapped a seven-match shutout streak for Madison College, which included an incredible streak of 672 scoreless minutes by WolfPack goalkeepers.

In a game that featured a total of 12 shots and seven shots on goal, it was Leslie to play the unlikely hero role in the 72'. With Madison College playing a man down since the 49', the WolfPack was on the attack off a throw in by freshman Owen Counsell from the far sideline. The ball was headed, bodied, and kicked nearly a dozen times within the penalty box before it found its way to Leslie, and the defender/midfielder booted it past the Pioneers keeper for the game-winner.

Randall maintained the one-goal lead with a save on a PSC header in the 74', one of two saves for the native of Carlisle, England. Madison College owned a slim 7-5 edge in total shots and a 4-3 advantage in shots on goal. Leslie, a Huntley, Illinois, native, led the way with three shots on goal, while Diaz had the other in the 16'. The assist for Diaz is the team-leading tenth for the midfielder from Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.

Up Next:

Madison College (15-1-2) will play in the Region 4 Division II Men's Soccer Championship on Saturday, November 7 against #2-seeded Morton College (13-0-6). The match will mark the first-ever between the two programs. Kickoff is set for 3:00 p.m. at Irwin A. & Robert D. Goodman Pitch - East and will be streamed live at MadisonCollege.tv. The winner earns an automatic berth to the NJCAA Division II Men's Soccer Championships in Huntsville, Alabama, from November 15-21. 



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