BLINN MEN’S SOCCER WINS FIRST ROUND MATCH OVER NORTHEAST TEXAS
(Story by Joe Alberico, Blinn College Sports Information)
The Blinn College men's soccer team saved its best for late Thursday night, scoring twice in the final seven minutes to defeat Northeast Texas Community College 2-0 in a Gulf South District Tournament quarterfinal at Rankin Field in Brenham, Texas.
"Grind first, win late. The lads stuck to the plan, didn't panic, and got the job done," Blinn head coach Michael McBride said. "While our finishing fell short of the mark earlier in the game, our defending was resolute throughout. The clean sheet was well-earned and frankly well overdue."
The Buccaneers (11-4-3) advance to the tournament semifinals, where they will face No. 4 Tyler Junior College on Tuesday, Nov. 3, in Tyler, Texas. Kickoff time is to be determined.
Tyler defeated Blinn 2-0 on Aug. 28 in Tyler. The Bucs will look to avenge that loss and advance to the district championship game for the first time in program history. A victory would also put Blinn one step closer to securing its second consecutive berth in the NJCAA Division I Men's Soccer Championship and the second national tournament appearance in program history.
After a scoreless opening 80 minutes, Blinn finally broke through in the 84th.
Sophomore forward Nelson Andrade found the back of the net at the 83:15 mark, finishing a corner kick delivered by freshman defender Peter Evans to give the Bucs a 1-0 advantage.
Andrade struck again less than three minutes later, extending the lead to 2-0 at 86:19. Freshman defenders Lobokola Enduki and Arnau Pla Alfaras assisted on the insurance goal, which effectively put the match away.
The brace was Andrade's third of the season and moved him into a tie for 11th in Blinn's single-season record book with eight goals. He also climbed into a tie for 25th in career points with 18.
Defensively, the Bucs turned in a complete performance, limiting Northeast Texas (4-11-0) to just three shots, including one on goal in securing their fourth shutout of the season. Sophomore goalkeeper Samir Bristol recorded one save to earn the clean sheet and improved to 10-2-2 this fall.
Blinn generated 24 shots, including seven on target, and earned 14 corner kicks while controlling much of the match.
Bristol's shutout was also his fourth of the season and eighth of his career as a starter. His 10 victories this season also moved him into a tie for third in program history for wins in a single season.
The triumph also marked McBride's 90th career win as Blinn's men's soccer coach. The Bucs have now won 12 consecutive meetings with Northeast Texas, dating back to April 6, 2021.
Blinn will now turn its attention to a challenging semifinal matchup against the Apaches, who enter the contest as one of the nation's premier programs.
"Now we take on one of the best teams in the country on a pitch they haven't lost on for five years," McBride said. "To say we're an underdog is an understatement, but we relish the opportunity to compete with them."