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Posted: Oct 28, 2018

Men’s Soccer Repeats as Region X Champions

Scoring Summary
2nd - 53:00 - Jose Villatoro (Louisburg College)
2nd - 75:00 - Brice Moltzon (Louisburg College)
Game Leaders
Spartanburg Methodist
G: N/A
A: N/A
Sh: 4 Players (#4, #9, #12, #14) - 1
Sv: N/A
Louisburg College
G: 2 Players (#16, #18) - 1
A: 2 Players (#10, #25) - 1
Sh: N/A
Sv: Caden McCullough - 2
Team Stats
Full stats

For the second straight season, the Louisburg Hurricanes men's soccer team captured the Region X tournament championship.The title came when the Hurricanes (16-1-2) notched a 2-0 victory over Spartanburg Methodist (18-6) on October 28 in Walterboro, South Carolina at USC Salkehatchie. The victory also helped Louisburg extract some measure of revenge on the Pioneers, as their 1-0 loss to SMC on October 13 remains their only setback in an otherwise perfect 2018 campaign. 

In addition to the tournament win, the Hurricanes earned theleague's regular season title with a 14-1-2 league record in the 10-team Region X.

After a scoreless first half, Jose Villatoro took a feed from teammate Cobi Moltzon and put it past Pioneers' goalie Fabricio Verdun in the game's 53rd minute to put the Hurricanes up, 1-0. Seventy-five minutes into the contest the Hurricanes' Brice Moltzon added an insurance goal off an assist from Fela Osifeoto seal the 2-0 victory. 

The Louisburg defense dominated throughout, with sophomore keeper Caden McCullough facing only two shots on goal and making two saves. The Hurricanes by contrast had 11 shots, including two on goal. 

Louisburg gained the Region X final following a 2-1 overtime victory over Wake Technical Community College (12-7-1) on Saturday. In that game, Cobi Moltzon had both scores including the golden goal two minutes into the extra session. The sophomore has surged of late, scoring two goals in the regular season and adding two and an assist in the conference tournament.

McCullough faced just two shots, and turned away one to preserve the victory for the Hurricanes. Offensively, Louisburg had 15 shots, with Villatoro leading the team with three, including one on goal.

The Hurricanes now advance to the Southeast District semifinals to face Eastern Florida State College (12-4) on Friday in Milledgeville, Georgia.

Last year, the Region X title came as a result of a 5-2 win over Richard Bland College. From there, the 'canes captured the Southeast District Championship and earned a bid to the NJCAA Nationals. 

For their efforts this season, Louisburg had a host of players named to the All-Region X Team, including:

1st Team

Goalkeeper - Caden McCullough

Defender- Nelson Donynath

Defender- Esteban Escobar

Midfielder- Fela Osifeso

Midfielder- Lucca-Toledo Carvalho


2nd Team

Hiroyoshi Kusa 

3rd Team

Jose Villatoro

 

Hurricanes' Notes:

• Freshman Lucca Toledo-Carvalho remains the team's leading scorer on the season with 15 goals, 14 assists and 44 points. His 15 scores place him 31st in the nation, while he is eighth in the nation in assists and 17th in the country in total points.
• Villatoro and Irvin Longsworth are tied for second on the team in goals, with each having nine.
• In goal, McCullough allows just .54 goals per outing and has made 34 saves on the season, while allow just 10 goals. His gaa is the nation's fifth best, while his 15 wins is the 3rd best in the NJCAA.

Next up: The Hurricanes will face Eastern Florida State College(12-4) this Friday at 3:30 p.m. at Georgia Military College in Milledgeville, Georgia.