Tiger soccer team stuns Coffeyville in OT; celebrates another conference title

Facing its first three-goal deficit of the season, the No. 3-ranked Cowley College men's soccer team scored three second half goals in its game at Coffeyville on Saturday and then completed the improbable 4-3 comeback on an overtime goal by freshman Masaya Sekiguchi.

In a battle of Division leaders, Coffeyville scored three goals in the first 15 minutes of Saturday's game to lead 3-0. The score would remain that way until 20 minutes into the second half when the Tigers' Murilo Ramos got Cowley on the board with his third goal of the season.

"We played against the wind in the first half and were kind of stunned," Cowley head coach Ruy Vaz said. "We had never faced this kind of deficit.

Nine minutes later, Antonio Peruchi Marra scored off an assist from Ryoma Sakamoto to cut Cowley's deficit to 3-2. Then, only four minutes after Marra's goal, Tsubasa Nakamori scored off an assist from Luis Rodrigues to tie the game at 3-3 and send the contest into overtime.

With three minutes left in overtime, Sekeguchi scored the game-winning goal off an assist from Leonardo Palmieri. The goal was the second of the season for Sekeguchi.

"I am extremely happy for Masaya (Sekiguchi) and all of the guys, they deserved this win," Vaz said. "They showed their resilience, character, grit, and determination in that second half. We stayed true to our identity and never gave up believing in ourselves."

Cowley, winners of three straight conference titles, remains unbeaten with a record of 9-0. Coffeyville (8-3) falls to 6-3 in the Jayhawk East. The Tigers are now 26-1-2 in its past 29 conference games.

"We never talk about the outcome, we just continue to strive for improvement," Vaz said.

The Tigers will venture out of conference to play at Crowder College Monday at 6 p.m. in Neosho, MO.

"We will fight until the end and give our best for Cowley," Vaz said.