DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – It was almost anticlimactic. A goal in the last minute to win a soccer match is usually a sprint-on-the-field-type exciting moment.
But when the Barton men’s soccer team scored with 29 seconds left to win its pool play match with Georgia Military by a 4-3 score, the Cougars pretty much knew they were already headed to the NJCAA National Semifinals.
Barton had to not lose by more than one goal in its Pool C finale to win the pool. So with the scored tied and the final seconds ticking down, the Cougar slot in the semifinals was already in stone.
But it is still nice to get the win.
“That is just who these kids are,” Coach Mike Brown said. “They just refuse to lose. This groups always seems to respond.”
Toranosuke Abe gave the Cougars the win and a perfect 2-0 mark in pool play when he converted on a breakaway with Gabriel Arraes. Arraes and Abe sprinted down the field with two Bulldogs. Arraes sent it off to the right side, past the Bulldog keeper where Abe would be all alone for the game-winner.
“It was just one of those things,” Coach Brown said. “We have had multiple goals in the last minute this year. When they see an opportunity, they take it.”
Next up for Barton, now 20-1-2, will be semifinal date with Eastern Florida State. The Eastern Florida win over Marshalltown in the final match of the day provided the biggest drama on a day that saw two overtime matches in addition to the Barton last-minute win. The Titans advanced to the semifinals after 110 minutes of scoreless on penalty kicks, 4-3.
That match will take place at 2 pm Friday. The Cougars will be looking for their first appearance in the title game. Barton’s best finish was third in 2008.
Yes, that is the Eastern Florida where former Barton Coach Oliver Twelvetrees now resides.
“Everyone got the matchup they wanted,” Coach Brown said of the semifinal battle.
In the final pool play match, Barton went up 1-0 when Arraes laid out a thru ball to Nicolas Torres. Torres put the ball in goal and Barton had a 1-0 lead just 12 minutes into the match.
That lead didn’t stay long as Georgia Military tied it up at 1-all just seven minutes later.
The game turned in a 1:30 stretch thanks in large part to the play of Roberto Hernandez.
The freshman from Texas had two perfectly played assists during that stretch to turn a tie match into a 3-1 Barton lead and proved to be vital in the Cougars heading to the National Semifinals.
“He was really good that first half,” Coach Brown said of Hernandez. “He has really bought into his role coming off the bench. He doesn’t care, he just wants to help the team win.”
Hernandez got the turnover near midfield and beat a couple Bulldogs before feeding it forward to Damen Marcu, sprinting in from the right side of the box. Marcu hammered it past the Georgia Military keeper for a 2-1 lead with just more than 10 minutes left in the opening half.
About a minute and a half later Hernandez did it again. This time taking the pass from Marcu at the top of the box, working down the endline right of the goal and sending the ball into the box where a sliding Aiden Hill put it home.
“Georgia Military doesn’t have the depth we do,” Coach Brown said. “Our guys have bought into their roles and are going a great job.”
But the Bulldogs didn’t quit in the second half. Adam Kennedy scored from almost 40 yards on a perfectly place ball top right shelf of the goal. That cut the lead to 3-2 with 30 minutes to play in the match. Georgia Military tied it up with just more three minutes left. By that time, it was almost a done deal the Cougars would not lose by two and were headed to the semifinals.
“We really didn’t play that well,” Coach Brown said. “But we got a win. It was a good win. Now move on to the next step and go from there.”
The first semifinal Friday will pit the top seed in the event, Pima, against Monroe, the No. 7 seed. The semis were nearly without the top two seeds as Pima rallied from a 1-0 deficit to win in overtime.
Tyler, the No. 2 seed, wasn’t as fortunate, falling to Monroe by a 2-0 setback. The 2-time defending champion ends its season at 19-3.
3 Barton 4, 6 Ga Military 3
Ga Military 1 2 – 3
Barton 3 1 – 4
Barton – Torres (Arraes), 11:19
Ga Military – McKeever (Newton), 18:30
Barton – Marcu (Hernandez), 34:04
Barton – Hill (Hernandez), 35:30
Ga Military – Kennedy, 57:01
Ga Military – Araya, 86:20
Barton – Abe (Arraes), 89:31
Pool play – Nov 12-14
Pool A - 1 Pima (22-2); 8 Northeast Texas (16-2-2), 12 Muskegon (12-2)
Nov 12 – Pima 5, Muskegon 0
Nov 13 – NE Texas 5, Muskegon 0
Nov 14 – Pima 3, NE Texas 2 (OT)
Pool B - 2 Tyler (18-2), 7 Monroe (10-1-2); 11 CCBC Essex (13-5-2)
Nov 12 – Tyler 5, Essex 1
Nov 13 – Monroe 6, Essex 0
Nov 14 – Monroe 2, Tyler 0
Pool C – 3 Barton (18-1-2), 6 Georgia Military (14-2-1), 10 St. Louis (18-3)
Nov 12 – Barton 3, St Louis 0
Nov 13 – St. Louis 2, Ga Military 1 (OT)
Nov 14 – Barton 4, Ga Military 3
Pool D – 4 Marshalltown (17-1-1), 5 Eastern Florida (14-4), 9 Cowley (17-1)
Nov 12 – Marshalltown 2, Cowley 0
Nov 13 – Eastern Fla 4, Cowley 0
Nov 14 – Eastern Fla 0, Marshalltown 0 (Eastern Fla advances on PKs 4-3)
Semifinals - Friday, Nov. 16
1 Pima (24-2) v 7 Monroe (12-1-2), 11 am
3 Barton (20-1-2) v 5 Eastern Florida (15-4-1), 2 pm
Championship – Saturday, Nov. 17
But when the Barton men’s soccer team scored with 29 seconds left to win its pool play match with Georgia Military by a 4-3 score, the Cougars pretty much knew they were already headed to the NJCAA National Semifinals.
Barton had to not lose by more than one goal in its Pool C finale to win the pool. So with the scored tied and the final seconds ticking down, the Cougar slot in the semifinals was already in stone.
But it is still nice to get the win.
“That is just who these kids are,” Coach Mike Brown said. “They just refuse to lose. This groups always seems to respond.”
Toranosuke Abe gave the Cougars the win and a perfect 2-0 mark in pool play when he converted on a breakaway with Gabriel Arraes. Arraes and Abe sprinted down the field with two Bulldogs. Arraes sent it off to the right side, past the Bulldog keeper where Abe would be all alone for the game-winner.
“It was just one of those things,” Coach Brown said. “We have had multiple goals in the last minute this year. When they see an opportunity, they take it.”
Next up for Barton, now 20-1-2, will be semifinal date with Eastern Florida State. The Eastern Florida win over Marshalltown in the final match of the day provided the biggest drama on a day that saw two overtime matches in addition to the Barton last-minute win. The Titans advanced to the semifinals after 110 minutes of scoreless on penalty kicks, 4-3.
That match will take place at 2 pm Friday. The Cougars will be looking for their first appearance in the title game. Barton’s best finish was third in 2008.
Yes, that is the Eastern Florida where former Barton Coach Oliver Twelvetrees now resides.
“Everyone got the matchup they wanted,” Coach Brown said of the semifinal battle.
In the final pool play match, Barton went up 1-0 when Arraes laid out a thru ball to Nicolas Torres. Torres put the ball in goal and Barton had a 1-0 lead just 12 minutes into the match.
That lead didn’t stay long as Georgia Military tied it up at 1-all just seven minutes later.
The game turned in a 1:30 stretch thanks in large part to the play of Roberto Hernandez.
The freshman from Texas had two perfectly played assists during that stretch to turn a tie match into a 3-1 Barton lead and proved to be vital in the Cougars heading to the National Semifinals.
“He was really good that first half,” Coach Brown said of Hernandez. “He has really bought into his role coming off the bench. He doesn’t care, he just wants to help the team win.”
Hernandez got the turnover near midfield and beat a couple Bulldogs before feeding it forward to Damen Marcu, sprinting in from the right side of the box. Marcu hammered it past the Georgia Military keeper for a 2-1 lead with just more than 10 minutes left in the opening half.
About a minute and a half later Hernandez did it again. This time taking the pass from Marcu at the top of the box, working down the endline right of the goal and sending the ball into the box where a sliding Aiden Hill put it home.
“Georgia Military doesn’t have the depth we do,” Coach Brown said. “Our guys have bought into their roles and are going a great job.”
But the Bulldogs didn’t quit in the second half. Adam Kennedy scored from almost 40 yards on a perfectly place ball top right shelf of the goal. That cut the lead to 3-2 with 30 minutes to play in the match. Georgia Military tied it up with just more three minutes left. By that time, it was almost a done deal the Cougars would not lose by two and were headed to the semifinals.
“We really didn’t play that well,” Coach Brown said. “But we got a win. It was a good win. Now move on to the next step and go from there.”
The first semifinal Friday will pit the top seed in the event, Pima, against Monroe, the No. 7 seed. The semis were nearly without the top two seeds as Pima rallied from a 1-0 deficit to win in overtime.
Tyler, the No. 2 seed, wasn’t as fortunate, falling to Monroe by a 2-0 setback. The 2-time defending champion ends its season at 19-3.
3 Barton 4, 6 Ga Military 3
Ga Military 1 2 – 3
Barton 3 1 – 4
Barton – Torres (Arraes), 11:19
Ga Military – McKeever (Newton), 18:30
Barton – Marcu (Hernandez), 34:04
Barton – Hill (Hernandez), 35:30
Ga Military – Kennedy, 57:01
Ga Military – Araya, 86:20
Barton – Abe (Arraes), 89:31
NJCAA Soccer National Championships
At Daytona Beach, Fla.Pool play – Nov 12-14
Pool A - 1 Pima (22-2); 8 Northeast Texas (16-2-2), 12 Muskegon (12-2)
Nov 12 – Pima 5, Muskegon 0
Nov 13 – NE Texas 5, Muskegon 0
Nov 14 – Pima 3, NE Texas 2 (OT)
Pool B - 2 Tyler (18-2), 7 Monroe (10-1-2); 11 CCBC Essex (13-5-2)
Nov 12 – Tyler 5, Essex 1
Nov 13 – Monroe 6, Essex 0
Nov 14 – Monroe 2, Tyler 0
Pool C – 3 Barton (18-1-2), 6 Georgia Military (14-2-1), 10 St. Louis (18-3)
Nov 12 – Barton 3, St Louis 0
Nov 13 – St. Louis 2, Ga Military 1 (OT)
Nov 14 – Barton 4, Ga Military 3
Pool D – 4 Marshalltown (17-1-1), 5 Eastern Florida (14-4), 9 Cowley (17-1)
Nov 12 – Marshalltown 2, Cowley 0
Nov 13 – Eastern Fla 4, Cowley 0
Nov 14 – Eastern Fla 0, Marshalltown 0 (Eastern Fla advances on PKs 4-3)
Semifinals - Friday, Nov. 16
1 Pima (24-2) v 7 Monroe (12-1-2), 11 am
3 Barton (20-1-2) v 5 Eastern Florida (15-4-1), 2 pm
Championship – Saturday, Nov. 17
Semifinal winners, 2 pm
