Pima Community College men’s soccer is two games from winning a third national title following Tuesday’s victory that put the Aztecs into the semifinal round of the NJCAA Division II national tournament at Wichita, Kan.
No. 7 Pima, which defeated No. 2 Iowa Lakes 2-0 on Tuesday, will face rival Phoenix College (19-1-1) in the semifinal round Thursday at 2 p.m., Tucson time.
The Aztecs (19-3) suffered two of their three losses in the regular season to Phoenix College, including a 4-2 setback in the Region I, Division II championship match on Nov. 5 at Phoenix College.
Pima defeated Iowa Lakes on Tuesday behind two late goals scored by Nathan Flores and Edgar Leyva-Miranda (Desert View).
Flores converted in the 71st minute and Leyva-Miranda made his shot two minutes later. Both goals were unassisted.
Flores scored after a cross pass by teammate Leo Gutierrez ricocheted off an Iowa Lakes player.
Leyva-Miranda headed the ball that crossed the plain for the score.
“We wanted to start getting the ball out wide a little more, that’s what the coaches talked to us about, and we thought we could hurt them (Iowa Lakes) there,” Leyva-Miranda said in a Pima press release. “Thankfully I got a corner off of it and I knew it was going to fall back into a good spot. I was ready to take my shot.
“I think we’re ready to right our wrongs from last year (lost in semifinals to Northeast CC in penalty kicks). We’re super thankful for all the support the past Pima players have given us throughout this tournament and the parents who have made the drive. It’s another shot for us.”
Tommaso Leonardi achieved the shutout, saving all three shots on goal.
“It’s an amazing feeling because we are like a family and we love each other,” Leonardi said. “We have worked so hard to get here and we earned it. We want to win it. We have the group for winning it and we want it.”
Pima won national titles in 2018 and 2021.
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