October 9, 2007
PIONEERS DEFEAT OAKTON TO SECURE 6TH SPOT IN REGION
The situation facing the Prairie State College men’s soccer team Tuesday was simple: defeat Oakton Community College and earn the No. 6 seed in the 11-team NJCAA Region IV Tournament, or lose and drop to eighth in the standings.

PSC recorded the victory after posting its second consecutive 2-0 shutout. As its reward for placing sixth, the Pioneers will host No. 11 Kennedy-King College in the first round of the region tournament Wednesday (Oct. 17) at 3 p.m.

Prairie State’s 4-5-1 region record enabled it to earn 13 points and edge College of Lake County (12 points) and Oakton (11 points) to secure the sixth spot.

The win also improved PSC’s overall record to 9-7-1 and Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference mark to 4-2-1. The Pioneers finished third among eight teams in ISCC competition.

In Tuesday’s win in Chicago Heights, freshman forward Krzysztof Danowski (Bloom Trail H.S.) opened the scoring with a goal at the 29:53 mark. Freshman midfielder Francisco Lagunas (Bremen H.S.) made it 2-0 in the 76th minute.

Freshmen defenders Emmanuel Adufah (Olympia Fields) and Humberto Paredes (Rich Central) each had an assist.

Freshman goalkeeper Sergio Martinez (Chicago) had five saves en route to notching his fourth shutout of the year.

October 6, 2007
PSC COMPLETES SEASON SWEEP OVER KANKAKEE
By virtue of its 2-0 win over Kankakee Community College on Saturday in Chicago Heights, the Prairie State College men’s soccer team completed a two-game season sweep over the Cavaliers this fall.

Along with Saturday’s victory, the Pioneers also defeated KCC 4-1 Aug. 30 in Kankakee.

Freshman forward Krzysztof Danowski (Bloom Trail H.S.) gave PSC (8-7-1) the only goal it would need in the 18th minute. Freshman defender Emmanuel Adufah (Olympia Fields) concluded the scoring in the 65th minute.

Freshmen forwards Carlos Rodriguez (Bloom H.S.) and Julio Ortega (Bremen H.S.) each had an assist.

Freshman goalkeeper Sergio Martinez (Chicago) posted his third shutout of the year after stopping six shots.

October 1, 2007
ANCILLA GETS REVENGE ON PRAIRIE STATE
Avenging a 3-1 loss to the Prairie State College men’s soccer team in the season opener, Ancilla College defeated the Pioneers 4-1 Monday in Chicago Heights.

PSC (7-7-1) looked to be on its way to a victory early on as freshman midfielder Andrew Taylor (Flossmoor) scored an unassisted goal 4:15 into the game. That, however, would be the extent of Prairie State’s point production.

The Chargers grabbed a 2-1 lead at the half after connecting in the 17th and 26th minutes. They added their final two goals in the 63rd and 84th minutes.

September 29, 2007
PIONEERS WIN ANOTHER 2-1 DECISION
Playing in games decided by a 2-1 finish has become the norm recently for the Prairie State College men’s soccer team, which has been involved in three consecutive contests with that outcome.

Fortunately for PSC, it has won two of those contests, including Saturday afternoon when it defeated Joliet Junior College in Joliet.

The Wolves took a 1-0 lead, but freshman forward Carlos Rodriguez (Bloom H.S.) evened the score in the 31st minute. Freshman forward Bre Durr (Park Forest) recorded the assist, giving him his first collegiate point.

Freshman midfielder Andrew Taylor (Flossmoor) put Prairie State (7-6-1) ahead 2-1 when he connected on a free kick from 40 yards out.

Freshman goalkeeper Sergio Martinez (Chicago) contributed seven saves.

September 27, 2007
LATE GOAL LEADS MORAINE VALLEY PAST PSC
As two of the better teams in the Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference, it was only fitting that the Prairie State College men’s soccer team and Moraine Valley Community College were deadlocked 1-1 late in the second half Thursday afternoon in Chicago Heights.

But the Cyclones scored with 14 minutes to play to hang on for a 2-1 victory and in the process drop PSC to 6-6-1 overall and 3-2-1 in league play.

After MVCC opened the scoring in the 19th minute, freshman midfielder Francisco Lagunas (Bremen H.S.) tied the game at 1-1 when he connected on his fifth goal of the season. Freshman defender Emmanuel Adufah (Olympia Fields) had the assist.

Freshman goalkeeper Sergio Martinez (Chicago) played well in the net as he stopped a season-high 10 shots.

September 22, 2007
PIONEERS’ THREE-GAME WINNING STREAK HALTED
When the Prairie State College men’s soccer team took the field Saturday afternoon, it was performing at its highest level of the year as evidenced by its season-long three-game winning streak.

But PSC ran into a roadblock, losing 9-0 to Kishwaukee College in Malta to see its record slip to 5-5-1.

Freshman goalkeeper Andrew Genzler (Beecher H.S.) had nine saves in his collegiate debut in the net.

With the loss, the Pioneers are now 2-4-1 in Region IV play and ranked seventh among 11 teams in the region standings.

September 18, 2007
MARTINEZ GETS FIRST SHUTOUT; SPATARU WINS HIS 150TH GAME
A 1-0 victory over Elgin Community College on Tuesday in Chicago Heights was of special significance to the Prairie State College men’s soccer team.

The shutout marked the first at the collegiate level for freshman goalkeeper Sergio Martinez (Chicago), who had seven saves, including two on point-blank shots in the final six minutes of the game.

The win was also a milestone for PSC head coach David Spataru, who recorded his 150th career victory. Spataru, in his first season directing the Pioneer program, was previously the head coach at Augustana College, Wesfield State College (Mass.), Buena Vista University (Iowa) and Marshalltown Community College (Iowa).

Tuesday’s triumph extended Prairie State’s winning streak to three games and upped its records to 5-4-1 overall and 2-1-1 in the Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference. PSC had not been over .500 since the opening week of the season.

Freshman midfielder Andrew Taylor (Flossmoor) scored the lone goal of the game on an assist from freshman midfielder Francisco Lagunas (Bremen H.S.) in the 11th minute.

September 15, 2007
PRAIRIE STATE EVENS RECORD WITH VICTORY
Freshman forward Carlos Rodriguez (Bloom H.S.) scored one goal and assisted on another to help the Prairie State College men’s soccer team defeat Kennedy-King College 4-2 Saturday afternoon in Chicago Heights. The victory improves PSC’s record to 4-4-1 and extends its winning streak to two games.

Rodriguez, who leads the Pioneers with 14 points (6 goals, 2 assists), gave Prairie State a 1-0 lead in the 20th minute on an unassisted goal. Just 1 minute 23 seconds later, Rodriguez assisted freshman midfielder Guilherme Nunes (Flossmoor) to up the score to 2-0.

PSC wasted little time in making it 3-0 as freshman midfielder Andrew Taylor (Flossmoor) scored off of a feed from freshman midfielder Krzysztof Danowski (Bloom Trail H.S.) at the 22:19 mark.

Kennedy-King sliced the difference to 3-1 with 21 seconds remaining in the first half, but freshman forward Julio Ortega (Bremen H.S.) countered for the Pioneers with his first collegiate goal in the 52nd minute.

Kennedy-King added the game’s final score in the 79th minute.

September 13
PSC SCORES THREE GOALS IN 9 MINUTES TO EARN WIN
With just one goal in its previous three games, the Prairie State College men’s soccer team was looking to resuscitate its offense when it traveled to Waubonsee Community College on Thursday for an Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference contest.

PSC was successful in its quest as it knocked off the Chiefs 3-1 after scoring all three goals in a nine minute stretch.

Trailing 1-0, the Pioneers (3-4-1, 1-1-1 ISCC) evened the contest in the 42nd minute on freshman midfielder Krysztof Danowski’s (Bloom Trail H.S.) goal. Just three minutes later, freshman defender Emmanuel Adufah (Olympia Fields) scored off of his corner-kick attempt.

Freshman forward Carlos Rodriguez (Bloom H.S.) ended the scoring flurry in the 51st minute with his team-best fifth goal of the season.

Freshmen midfielders Guilherme Nunes (Flossmoor) and Andrew Taylor (Flossmoor) each had an assist.

Freshman goalkeeper Sergio Martinez (Chicago) stopped five shots and lowered his goal-against average to 1.70 for the year.

September 9, 2007
PIONEERS DEALT 2-1 SETBACK
The good news for the Prairie State College men’s soccer team was that its two-game scoreless streak ended Sunday against Springfield College in Chicago Heights. But on the down side, the Pioneers were defeated 2-1, dropping their season record to 2-4-1.

All three goals were scored in the second half as Springfield grabbed a 1-0 lead in the 67th minute before going ahead 2-0 at the 81:26 mark. Fifteen seconds after the Bulldogs’ second goal, PSC got on the board when freshman midfielder Francisco Lagunas (Bremen H.S.) connected on an assist from freshman forward Carlos Rodriguez (Bloom H.S.).

In all, Prairie State had six shots on goal compared to four for Springfield.

Unlike the previous contest when the College of Lake County was also kept out of the scoring column in a 0-0 double-overtime tie, Morton College struck for two goals Thursday to claim a 2-0 victory in Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference play in Cicero.

Freshman goalkeeper Sergio Martinez (Chicago) had a season-high nine saves, but the Pioneers’ (2-3-1, 0-1-1 Illinois Skyway Conference) offense was unable to generate any shots on goal.

September 4, 2007
PSC AND LAKE COUNTY END IN A SCORELESS TIE
Neither the Prairie State College men’s soccer team nor the College of Lake County were able to crack the scoring column in their 0-0 double-overtime tie Tuesday in Chicago Heights.

Freshman goalkeeper Sergio Martinez (Chicago) recorded six saves for PSC, while his counterpart had nine stops. Three of the Pioneers’ shots on goal came off the foot of freshman forward Carlos Rodriguez (Bloom H.S.).

Prairie State is now 2-2-1 for the season and 0-0-1 in Illinois Skyway Collegiate Conference play.

September 1, 2007
NATIONALLY-RANKED DUPAGE DEFEATS PSC
Ranked eighth in the NJCAA's national poll, College of DuPage looks to be one of the toughest opponents on the Prairie State College men's soccer team's schedule this fall.

PSC faced the Chaparrals on Saturday in Glen Ellyn and played competitively before coming up short in a 3-1 decision.

Trailing 2-0 at the half, the Pioneers cut the deficit in half in the 73rd minute when freshman forward Carlos Rodriguez (Bloom H.S.) scored on a free kick. The goal was Rodriguez's team-best fourth of the season.

But Prairie State wouldn't get any closer as DuPage knocked in the final goal in the 81st minute.

With the loss, PSC’s record moved to 2-2 on the year.

August 30, 2007
PSC EQUALS LAST YEAR’S WIN TOTAL
It has taken the Prairie State College men’s soccer team just three games to equal last year’s total of two wins.

Victory No. 2 for the Pioneers came Thursday when they defeated Kankakee Community College 4-1 in Kankakee. PSC improved to 2-1 with the triumph.

Freshman forward Carlos Rodriguez (Bloom H.S.) accounted for Prairie State’s first goal in the ninth minute and its final tally in the 78th minute. Both of his goals were unassisted.

For the third consecutive game, freshman midfielder Francisco Lagunas (Bremen H.S.) scored a goal. He connected in the 15th minute to up the Pioneers’ lead to 2-0.

The margin increased to 3-0 12 minutes into the second half when freshman midfielder Austin Steinke’s (Herscher H.S.) pass resulted in a goal by freshman midfielder Andrew Taylor (Flossmoor).

Freshman goalkeeper Sergio Martinez (Chicago), who allowed a goal in the 66th minute, had four saves in the game.

August 28, 2007
PRAIRIE STATE FALLS 4-1
Coming off a 3-1 win over Ancilla College in the season opener Friday, the Prairie State College men’s soccer team had its sight set on a 2-0 start to the 2007 campaign. South Suburban College, however, played the role of spoiler in the Pioneers’ home debut Tuesday in Chicago Heights, downing the hosts 4-1.

The Bulldogs did all of their scoring between the 36th and 75th minute. PSC, meanwhile, produced its lone goal with 7:30 remaining in the game when freshman midfielder Francisco Lagunas (Bremen H.S.) scored off of a pass delivered by freshman midfielder Sherif Atobajeun (Bloom H.S.).

The Pioneer offense had only one other shot on goal during the game.