Knights Men's Soccer Finish National Runner-Up

By Rocco Geppi

Wichita, Kan. -- The No.1 seeded Knights finished the 2021 season as NJCAA Division II Men's Soccer Runner-Up on Saturday after losing 5-3 in penalty kicks to No. 2 seed Pima Community College. 

Ethan Stewart (Fairfax, Va.), Marvin Martinez (Riverdale, Md.), and Toga Katsuma (Shiga, Honshu, Japan) were all named to the All-Tournament Team.

Pima scored the tying goal with 22 seconds left in the first half and neither team scored over the next 65 minutes, which sent the game to PKs.

"Pima was well coached and a classy bunch," said Knights head coach Joe Fiedler. "It was a fun game to watch, but heartbreaking for me and my team.

"Our boys gave their all since August 5th. This team was an inspiration to me. They were focused, had integrity, great work ethic, carried themselves professionally and with intensity, and most of all caring. Such a great team to coach and be a part of."

The Aztecs (18-1-2) scored first in the third-minute of play. 

It stayed that way until the 21st minute when Katsuma finished a ball from Kota Tsuchisawa (Yaita, Tochigi, Japan) to tie it. 

In the 43rd minute, Katsuma struck again, this time from just outside the box to put the Knights ahead 2-1. 

Less than two minutes later, Pima's goalkeeper Juan Suarez played the ball deep and Minho Cha finished to tie it at two. 

The Knights (19-1-1) had opportunities in the second half and two overtime periods to score, but either iron or Suarez foiled their plans. 

Martinez put a shot on frame in the 51st minute and Andy Portillo (Laurel, Md.) another in the 53rd minute, but Suarez saved both. 

In the 75th minute, Knights net minder Brenden LeMaster (Bowie, Md.) made a clutch save to keep it 2-2. 

At the start of the second overtime, Michael Adekanmbi (Bowie, Md.) had a chance, but his shot hit the post. 

With four second seconds left in extra time, Martinez let a shot go that went just wide right. 

For the penalty kicks, Fiedler sent out Takeroh Murakawa (Kobe, Hyogo, Japan), Katsuma, Henry Ortiz (Mount Airy, Md.), Stewart and Portillo. 

Murakawa, Katsuma and Ortiz converted their shots, as did Pima's first four shooters. 

Suarez made the save on Stewart's shot and Pima's Francisco Manzo finished his shot to win it for the Aztecs. 

Road to the National Championship

The Knights went 2-0 in pool play to reach the national semifinals, defeating Heartland C.C. and Carl Sandburg College 1-0 in each game. 

In the semifinal, Essex faced St. Charles C.C. The Cougars defeated the Knights in pool play last season in their only other meeting. 

This time it was the Knights who prevailed. 

CCBC Essex trailed after a 64th minute goal by St. Charles. But the lead was short lived.

Tsuchisawa tie the game in the 67th minute on an assist from Kazuma Ishizuka (Kanagawa, Japan).

Four minutes later, Sam Diaz (Lanham, Md.) finished a headed rebound to give the Knights the lead. 

The defense and LeMaster held the Cougars off the board the remaining 19 minutes to put the Knights into the final for the second straight season. 

Et. Cetera

This was the sixth time in 10 seasons Fiedler led a Knights team to an NJCAA national tournament and second consecutive NJCAA Division II finals appearance.

Fiedler ranks third in wins (141), win percentage (.726) and games coached (201) all-time among men's soccer head coaches in school history. He is one of just three coaches with more than 200 games coached. 

Essex has seven academic and/or athletic sophomores - LeMaster, Sam Mejia (Riverdale, Md.), Diaz, Martinez, Portillo, Kobe Crone (Cockeysville, Md.) and Tsuchisawa - exiting after this season. 

Portillo, Tsuchisawa, Mejia, Diaz and Martinez spent three seasons with the Knights due to the NJCAA pandemic rule. 

Over three seasons, the five were part of teams that went 46-7-1 (.861), won three Region 20 titles, three conference titles, two Mid-Atlantic District Championships, and finished as national runner-up twice.

Prior to the spring and fall 2021 seasons, the Knights last played for a national championship in 1989.