Men’s Soccer Headed to NJCAA National Championship Game

(Herkimer, NY) On this cold, snowy, and windy Friday afternoon, the Nassau Lions laced up their cleats for the second round of the Men's Soccer NJCAA National Championships against Cayuga CC. The men battled against the wind and snow. At one point the snow was so thick that the ball had difficulty rolling across the pitch. The game was scoreless through the first half. After halftime, Mike Martinez had a game changing goal for the Lions. Martinez found the back of the net off of a set play. This goal lit a fire in the midst of the snow for the Lions. They got defensive as they could smell the victory. Defender Pantelis Konomis was forced to leave the game after a kick to the head while going up for a 50-50 ball late in the second half. The defense had to improvise and reorganize without their key defender. The Lions were able to hold off Cayuga and claim victory 1-0. Standout player of the game was Mike Martinez for his second half goal. Chris Henriquez also had a few key stops to help capture the win for Nassau. "This was really a game of who wanted it more. It wasn't your typical soccer game with clean passes and tactical play. It was a full on battle and our men played for keeps. They are ready for the Championship game. They've been preparing for it all year." stated Head Coach Dan Fisher after the game. With this win, the men advance to the National Championship on Sunday. The Lions are currently 19-1 going into the Championship.