PARIS, Texas — The Paris Junior College men's soccer team continued its postseason run Thursday afternoon, earning a 2-1 victory over LSU Eunice in the Gulf South District Quarterfinals.
The win sends the No. 15 nationally ranked Dragons into the district semifinals and marks another milestone in what has already been a historic season for the PJC program.
After a tightly contested opening half that saw both teams battle for possession and scoring opportunities, the Dragons broke through just two minutes before halftime. Freshman Oscar Amaya connected on a header off an assist from Keane Cobuzio, giving PJC a 1-0 advantage heading into the break.
The Dragons wasted little time extending their lead in the second half. Just five minutes after the restart, Cobuzio found the back of the net off an assist from freshman Paulo Diaz, pushing the PJC advantage to 2-0.
PJC maintained its offensive pressure throughout the match, finishing with 16 shots while creating opportunities against the LSU Eunice defense.
LSU Eunice responded in the 75th minute, cutting the Dragons' lead to 2-1 and setting up a tense final stretch.
With the match hanging in the balance, the PJC defense rose to the occasion. Freshman goalkeeper Christian Ruiz delivered a strong second-half performance, recording five saves after the break to help preserve the one-goal advantage and secure the postseason victory.
Following the match, PJC Head Coach Fernando Arellano praised his team's resilience and determination, expressing pride in the Dragons' ability to compete and battle through the final whistle. Arellano also extended his appreciation to the student-athletes, PJC staff and Dragons fans for their continued support throughout the season.
With the victory, Paris Junior College advances to the Gulf South District Semifinals, continuing a historic campaign that has already seen the Dragons earn the program's first-ever NJCAA national ranking.