NYS SHINES BRIGHT AS NO. 1 HAWKS TOP POOL A WITH TRIUMPH OVER NO. 8 PRAIRIE STATE

TUCSON, Ariz. – The No. 1 Northeast Community College men's soccer team was back at the 2023 NJCAA DII Men's Soccer Championship Tuesday at the Kino Sports Complex in Tucson, Arizona after a day off to compete in a win-or-go-home match against No. 8 Prairie State College. The Hawks downed the Pioneers by a final score of 1-0 to advance to the semifinals and become victors of Pool A.

Northeast (22-1, 8-0 ICCAC) and Prairie State had previously battled back on September 2 in a contest that the Hawks captured by a final score of 3-0. The Pioneers picked up a red card just 10 minutes into the showdown and had to play down a man for the remainder of the duel. Edouard Nys (Dottignies, Belgium) put in a beautiful goal off his backheel to give Northeast the only score in the matchup. Nys was later featured on ESPN SportsCenter's Top 10 Plays as his goal was crowned the top play of the day.

The Hawks have now advanced to the NJCAA Championship Semifinals for the first time in school history in any sport during the NJCAA era and will now take on No. 4 Iowa Lakes Community College for the third time this year after defeating them 2-1 on September 27 and 6-3 on October 29 in the Region 11 Tournament Championship.

STAT SHEET:

Goal: Edouard Nys (Dottignies, Belgium)

HEAR FROM THE HAWKS COACH:

Head Men's Soccer Coach Adam Potter's overall thoughts on how the game played out:

"It was exactly as we thought it was going to be," Potter said. "We told the guys before the game that the team that stayed the most composed was going to be the team that won the game. We were the team that stayed the most composed and ended up winning the game. Any time you play Prairie State it's going to be a physical and chippy kind of game. You win and advance. It doesn't have to be pretty. It doesn't have to be great. This time of the year you just have to win and move on."

Potter on what it means to advance to the semifinals for the first time in the history of Northeast Athletics:

"I don't think it just means anything for me and my guys, but I think that it is a massive thing for Northeast Community College," Potter said. "It is a massive thing for Norfolk, Nebraska. It's the first program in school history to get to a final four. We still have a chance to chase after a national title. This is something massive for our community. This is a chance to say this is where we are supposed to be as an athletic program, and how we can push for this to be the standard. No matter what sport is playing we want to push to be in this position and compete every single season at the national level."

Potter on battling No. 4 Iowa Lakes for the third time this season next:

"Any time you get to play a rival you are going to take that any day of the week," Potter said. "I don't think there is a team you want more or a team that you can get amped up more for than going to play your rival again. We know that the last two times we played them have been absolutely insane and we don't expect it to be any different the third time. Now instead of playing in 15-degree weather we get to play in 80 degrees and some sunshine with a bunch of fans around. What an environment and what a stage for this game to be played on."

UP NEXT:

The Hawks will take on No. 4 Iowa Lakes Community College during the 2023 NJCAA DII Men's Soccer Championship Semifinals at 4 p.m. CT Thursday at the Kino Sports Complex in Tucson, Arizona.

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