Mohave College men’s soccer advances to nationals after 2-1 victory over Salt Lake Community College

The Mohave College Men’s Soccer team is heading to Daytona Beach, Florida, after defeating Salt Lake Community College 2-1 Saturday night at Firebird Field. The victory secures the Bighorns a spot in the NJCAA Division I National Tournament, a historic milestone for the program.

Salt Lake struck first early in the match with a goal by David Noguera in the 7th minute. Mohave responded quickly, as Alan Salgado netted the equalizer in the 18th minute off an assist from Misael Meza. Before halftime, the Bighorns took the lead with Lazzar Ramos scoring in the 38th minute, assisted by Raul Sierra and Mauricio Velazquez.

The Bighorns’ defense held strong throughout the second half, led by goalkeeper Chase Radford, who kept Salt Lake from finding another goal. Despite several late challenges, Mohave maintained their composure and closed out the game to claim the 2-1 victory.

“Some people call us crazy, but we knew we had the team and it was very special for them,” Coach Camilo Valencia told Today’s News-Herald Sports. “Now it's just going to Florida, enjoy the moment, try to compete and see if we can win another championship.”

The Bighorns will now prepare for the NJCAA Division I Men’s Soccer National Championship in Daytona Beach, Florida, where the top programs from across the country will compete for the national title. The men’s team will depart for Florida Nov. 13.

Visit MohaveSoccer.com or follow the team’s Instagram, @mohavemsoccer, for all game times and score updates.