Men's Soccer falls to Springfield Tech in Double OT Semi-Finals Thriller

The CCRI men’s soccer team hosted Springfield Technical Community College in Lincoln for the quarterfinal playoff match after earning the No. 4 seed. The Knights entered the game eager to advance to Friday’s semifinal against Northern Essex.

Early on, CCRI struggled to find rhythm in the midfield, and their play lacked cohesion. Springfield Tech’s #2, Chaves, opened the scoring just eight minutes into the match. The Knights responded about eight minutes later when Doug Orellana fired a shot that deflected off the wall and slipped past the Springfield keeper to level the score at 1–1. “Doug gave everything he had the rest of the game,” said Coach Toro. “Unfortunately, we couldn’t get him the ball consistently, so we weren’t able to use his creativity through the middle as much as we needed.”

The teams entered the second half tied, with the Knights attempting to break through the Springfield back line. CCRI relied heavily on long balls to get in behind the defense, but this approach became predictable and limited their attacking creativity.

After a scoreless second half, the game went into two ten-minute golden-goal overtime periods. The Knights fought hard, creating several chances and even hitting the post, but luck was not on their side. With just under four minutes remaining in the second overtime, Springfield Tech’s Chaves once again found space in the box and netted the decisive goal, handing the Knights a heartbreaking defeat.

Reflecting on the season, Coach Toro shared, “The team had its ups and downs this year, but they were a pleasure to coach. Everyone improved both individually and as a group. I’m proud of their growth and the late-season winning streak that included a victory over a ranked Northern Essex team. Sometimes the game can be cruel—the ball just doesn’t find the back of the net despite plenty of opportunities.