Box Score The Dodge City Community College men's soccer team traveled to Neosho slightly short-handed as their top two goal scorers were both active, but very limited. They put together a very strong defensive effort that saw each team score a goal in the first half, but neither team could find the net for the final 45 minutes of regulation or the two overtime periods. The result pushed the match to penalty kicks, where the Conqs dominated and came away with the win in the first round of the Region VI Playoffs.

The first 30 minutes of the match saw each team have chances at goals, but stellar defense and goal keeper play kept the game scoreless. Neosho's biggest chance came when Hugo Torregrossa was whistled for a foul and a yellow card just outside of the box to give the Panthers a free kick. Rafael Callegari came up with his first big play of the day on the ensuing free kick as he was able to make the save. The Conqs had a chance to get ahead as Gustavo Lemos Borba was fouled just outside the box. Bernard Cutini Alvarenga took the free kick, but sent it just wide of the goal. Mario Martinez had a great opportunity just minutes later, but sent the ball just wide of the goal again. The Panthers finally broke the scoreless tie with 14:33 remaining on the first half clock. After the Conqs defense misplayed a ball in the box Alphie Belcher got a great look at goal and buried it in the back of the net to put Neosho up 1-0. It looked like the score might stay that way for the rest of the half until Kieran Guthrie found a lane to get rocket shot off, but Hugo Blanckaert came up with a solid save for the Panthers. Finally the Conqs were awarded a corner kick late in the first half. Bryan Etzold found his way to the end of the corner and headed it into the net to tie the game at 1. That is how the game would go to half.

The second half saw great defensive efforts by both teams. The biggest scoring chance of the second half was when Callegari was called for a penalty to give Neosho a free kick just inside the box. Once again the Conqs were up to the challenge as they were able to block the shot and clear it to keep the score knotted at one. The score would remain that way throughout the regulation sending the game to overtime. Each team had opportunities in the first overtime, but none of them amounted to much. As time ran out on the first overtime the Panthers put a ball in the back of the net, but the shot came just after the period had expired. In the second overtime the Conqs had an amazing opportunity as they blasted a ball from about 15 yards out that went just high enough to hit the crossbar and bounce away. That would be the final true opportunity for either team as the clock expired on the second overtime forcing the two teams to penalty kicks.

The Panthers made a change in goal going away from Blanckaert in goal in favor of Franklin Mendez for the penalty kicks. The Conqs had the first opportunity and sent Cutini Alvarenga to take the first shot. He buried the first shot into the left side of the goal to put Dodge up 1-0. Belcher would take Neosho's first shot, but despite a solid shot Callegari manage to get a hand on it and deflect it away from the goal to maintain the 1-0 lead. Borba would step up next for the Conqs, and just as the first shot he was able put a ball in the left upper 90 to beat Mendez and put the Conqs up 2-0. Neosho's second shot went just wide right as it hit off the right post and bounced away. Santiago Hernandez Riano was the third Conq to step up to the line for a shot. He went to the left side of the goal once again, but this time went to the lower 90 and buried the third penalty kick to put the Conqs one stop or goal away from a win. Neosho's next shot was sent low and to the right side, but Callegari came up huge again as he deflected the ball away sending Dodge City into a big celebration as the walked away with the win. 

"I am proud of the guys and what they were able to do tonight," said head coach Oscar Zelaya. "Now we have to recover quickly and try to get ready for Barton on Sunday. It will be a challenge for our guys, but they are excited to have the opportunity."

The Conqs will travel to Great Bend to take on Barton Community College at 2:00pm. The winner of that game will advance to the district tournament in Cleburne, TX to play the Region V winner.