Richland Gets by Camden County in NJCAA Semis

Dallas College Richland men's soccer team is on to the national championship for an unprecedented seventh straight year.

Richland beat Camden County College, 3-1, in Friday's rainy National Junior College Athletic Association Division III semifinals in Batavia, New York. The No. 1-ranked Thunderducks overcame a 1-1 second half tie, scoring two goals in less than a five-minute span to send Richland on to Sunday's 12 p.m. CT title game to meet Genesee Community College. 

The Thunderducks (16-0-1) will be vying for their fifth consecutive national championship.

Samuele Muroni answered Camden County's George Abu Arab unassisted goal in the 59^th minute to knot the match at 1-1 when the Thunderducks' center midfielder found the back of the net in the 64^th minute. Jonathan Gallardo assisted on the gamewinning goal.

It was second gamewinner of the season, and his fifth goal overall.

Enzo Nogue scored the game's first goal in the 31^st minute on a setup from Byron Aguilar. Nogue added an unassisted goal 4:51 after Muroni broke the tie.

Nogue has seven goals and 15 points this season. Gallardo has a team-leading 18 points. 

Richland goalie Rodrigo Artiga improved to 6-0-1 in the net after stopping three of the four shots he faced. Camden's Thillo Lode suffered his first loss in nine decisions, stopping nine of Richland's 12 shots.

Richland outshot Camden County, 25-6, in a game where 19 fouls were called.

The Thunderducks had a scoring chance in the 23^rd minute when Gallardo's shot was stopped by Lode. After a pair of fouls by the Thunderducks, Nogue banged home the game's first goal at the 30:29 mark. Less than four minutes later, Juan Vargas had a crack at it, but Lode made the save.

Just before the 36^th minute, Felipe Garcia attempted to put Richland ahead two goals, but Lode stopped the scoring chance. In the final minute of the half, the Thunderducks' offensive onslaught continued when Jonathan Cervantes' shot was saved by Lode.

Lode made five of his nine saves in the first half.

Eleven seconds after a yellow card was issued to Richland, Camden's Ross Harper sent a header on goal that Artiga saved. But Abu Arab cashed in 26 seconds later to tie the game.

A yellow card was issued to Camden County in the 63^rd minute, and the Thunderducks tried to capitalize with back-to-back shots that went high in the ensuing 17 seconds. Following the second of those two shots – a blast by Dirby Ulrich – Gallardo's corner kick made its way to Muroni in the box, and the Richland midfielder banged it home for the gamewinner.

Camden tried to knot it up again in the 67^th minute, but Mahmoud Shech Ichya's shot went high. Less than two minutes later, Nogue scored his second of the game to take the wind out of the Cougars' sails.

Richland has not lost since suffering a 2-1 setback at Tyler Junior College on Sept. 25, 2018. That's a span of 74 games without a defeat. The Thunderducks are 71-0-3 during that time.