MARIN, PEREIRA NAMED 1ST TEAM ALL-REGION 19 SOCCER; FOUR OTHERS ALSO LAUDED
The Middlesex Men's and Women's Soccer teams had historic seasons and multiple players from each team have been recognized for their excellence on the pitch.
In voting done by the Region 19 Soccer Head Coaches, David Pereira from the men's team and Isabelle Marin from the women's team received First Team All-Region 19 honors after leading their squads to the Region 19 District A Finals. Pereira and Marin each made First Team All-Region as freshmen as well.
Genesis Garces-Gomez and Paula Antunes were voted Second Team All-Region for the women while Andres Rojas made Second Team All-Region for the men. Mateo Rodriguez was named Third Team All-Region 19 for the men as well.
Pereira was the driving force and vocal leader for a Colts defense that was among the best in the country despite playing with three different goalkeepers this season. The Colts were one of just seven teams in the country to play as many as 15 games while allowing less than 20 goals.
Their seven shutouts were the fourth most in the country among NJCAA Division III schools with Pereira the key to that unit. He scored two goals in a game against Bergen CC this season as well.
Of the 33 players named to the Region 19 All-Region Team, only five defenders received the honor with Pereira finishing second in the voting among that group.
Rojas was a fantastic all-around player for Middlesex in their midfield, showing excellent tactical ability while being able to score and distribute equally well. Rojas was second on the team with seven goals and led the team with five assists. Perhaps his biggest goal of the season was a clutch game-tying goal in the 77th minute against Northampton, which turned into a key Middlesex win in the final minute on a penalty kick.
Rodriguez was also a key member of the Middlesex College midfield this season and was awarded with Third Team recognition. His physical presence in the midfield helped the Colts control the flow of many games and was instrumental in the Colts overall defensive success this season.
For the women, Marin capped a fantastic career by being one of the top scorers in the country this season. The sophomore registered 16 goals this season, a total only surpassed by five other players in the country on the NJCAA Division III level this season. She added 11 assists for 43 points, which placed her sixth overall in the nation.
Marin scored goals in 10 of the 14 games the Colts played this season and had five multi-goal games. She was named First Team All-Region 19 last season as a freshman and by virtue of being voted among the top five players in Region 19, she will receive All-American consideration.
Garces-Gomez was the second half of the two-player powerhouse the fueled the Colts prolific offense this season. Garces-Gomez ranked right behind Marin nationally in goals scored with 15, which was good for 10th in the nation among NJCAA Division III players. She had nine assists and her 39 points ranked seventh in the country. Garces-Gomez and Marin were one of just three sets of teammates in the country to score 15 goals this season. Garces-Gomez led the Colts with six multi-goal games this season, including a hat trick in a 7-0 win over Bergen CC.
Antunes was one of the key players for Middlesex this season and filled a number of roles for the Colts. As a forward, Antunes scored 10 goals this season, including four straight goals in a 6-0 win over Bergen CC in the Region 19 East District A Semifinals. She also scored two of the Colts three goals against RCSJ-Gloucester earlier this season, the team the Colts will be facing in the Region 19 East District A Finals.
While her production was vital to the Colts offense, she also provided a crucial role playing four games in goal for Middlesex when the team was battling through injury problems at the position. Antunes registered shutout wins against Lehigh Carbon, Bergen CC and Nassau CC and also posted a scoreless half in a combined shutout of Atlantic Cape.