For the second time in less than 24 hours a Monroe Mustangs soccer team has advanced to a national final on penalty kicks at the end of a scoreless regulation and overtime periods.  On Saturday afternoon under a clear blue Arizona sky on Mountain Valley field in Prescott Valley, Monroe's #10-seeded men's team advanced to the NJCAA Men's Division I Soccer Championship game, tying top-ranked Iowa Western 0-0, but winning the PK session 4-3.  It was virtually the same scenario in the women's DI semifnal on Friday night when Monroe advanced over Eastern FL.
 
Much like his female counterpart, Tiifany Martnez, did in the women's semifinal on Friday night, men's freshman keeper Kenneth Caballero stopped two penalty kicks to give Monroe a chance to win.  Freshman Lucas Santos had the final kick for Monroe that proved to be the winner, the goal that sent Monroe to Sunday's 3:00pm (5:00pm NY time) final against #4 Tyler (TX).
 
After the game, Coach Marcus Dibernardo talked about the importance of confidence in the penalty kick session.  "What we did is ask the players who wanted to take it," he said, "and the guys who show the most confidence that they want to take it, we give them the kick because you want to see the guys with confidence go up and take the kick."
 
In addition to Santos, Khadim Seye, Mamadou Balde, and Pedro Neto were Monroe's PK goal scorers.
 
"All I was thinking about was to save the PK's, that's all," Caballero said after the game.   "I read the players properly and did the right anticipation."
 
Monroe goalkeeper coach Mickey Cohen was impressed with the freshman's heroic efforts.  "Kenny's performance today showed what he did from the beginning of the season, his hard work ethic and his improvement," Coach Mickey said.  "He proved what he is all about today, a tremendous performance that took us to the finals."
 
The regulation and two overtime periods were hard-fought and Monroe really couldn't get its game in gear.  Credit the Reivers, Coach 'D' said.
 
"Iowa Western is a good team and they cut our counter attack off very well. We had only two or three chances to score maybe the whole game and that's a credit to them," he said.

Monroe is 13-3-1 on the season.  They last played in the NJCAA finals in 2011, losing to Cloud County, 4-1.
 
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