Soccer team falls to 11th-ranked Pima Community College in semifinal round, ends run at nationals
The Cardinal men’s bumpy season came to an end at the West District Finals held Nov. 4-5 in Tuscon, Ariz. when they were defeated by the Pima Community College Aztecs, 5-2.
NIC had a bye going into the tournament, so they had no idea who they would be playing until Pima won against Northwest College on Friday.
Coach Ken Thompson said that his team would probably be out matched if they went up against Pima.
“They have at least four guys that could hit the ball 60 yards or further with accuracy,” Thompson said. “We have some guys that can hit it, but they can’t do it under pressure and right to the guy’s foot.”
NIC’s sophomore midfielder Chad Ward, 20, business, was the first to score 12 minutes in with a left-footed assist by sophomore midfielder Matt Lieggi, 19, general studies.
Coach Thompson said the Aztecs have been known to do well with set pieces (free kicks, corner kicks and throw-ins) in their conference, and they delivered two goals via set pieces to the Cardinals within 12 minutes of Ward’s goal. At the half, Pima led 4-1.
“It is hard to compare to Pima,” Ward said. “All we can do is look at their record online and it is pretty outstanding.”
Ward delivered NIC’s last goal with an assist from Ryan Krempels in the second half. They caught Pima’s goalkeeper off guard when he left the goal line. Pima scored one more against the Cardinals in the second half and sealed the game 5-2.
Despite the loss, Thompson could only say upbeat things about this year’s batch of Cards.
“There were several sequences where we connected five to seven passes,” Thompson said. “I don’t recall seeing that as the assistant coach here. I thought it was encouraging.”
Thompson said that the team has a few goals now that the season is over: academics and healing injuries. Over the season, a few Cardinal players have been plagued by pulled groins, torn meniscuses, sprained ankles and hip flexor problems. Thompson said that just about every player caught the flu or a cold.
The team begins spring training next semester with fewer numbers. Thompson said they will work on developing individual skill and small group drills while he scouts new talent for the team. He said that he wants to add some bigger and taller players to the roster.
“I need to make sure we have some guys that will physically match up to the box like [Pima’s] Eric Ladd, who is 6-foot-5,” Thompson said. “If I recruit and no one is taller than 5-foot-9 then it will be hard to compete.”
NIC will debut the new men’s team with the Alumni Match next April.
