MVCC Men's Soccer Goes Back-to-Back: Hawks Claim Second Straight National Championship in Snow-Covered Thriller
Herkimer, NY — On a night when snow, ice, drama, and nerves all collided, the #2 seeded Mohawk Valley Community College Hawks etched their place in program history, defeating #1 seeded Dallas College–Richland in penalty kicks to secure their second straight NJCAA Division III National Championship. The long-anticipated rubber match between the two national powers lived up to every expectation — and then some.
What unfolded in Herkimer was nothing short of a classic: a frozen-pitch battle featuring late-game heroics, a weather delay, a grueling 110 minutes of soccer, and a penalty shootout that will be remembered for years.
Despite snowfall throughout the first half, Richland struck the opening blow. In the 39th minute, the Thunderducks were awarded a penalty kick after drawing contact inside the box. Veteran midfielder Vicente Cabrera stepped to the spot and calmly curled the shot home, giving Richland a 1–0 lead heading into halftime. As visibility worsened, the Hawks found themselves searching for rhythm in a game dictated as much by the weather as the flow of play.
The Hawks emerged from halftime determined and disciplined. In the 63rd minute, winger Bakir Omercevic delivered a perfectly-weighted service into the penalty area. Mario Camacho settled the pass with composure, swiveled into shooting form, and hammered the equalizer past the keeper to bring the match level at 1–1.
Momentum seemed to be shifting — until the weather had its say.
Just seven minutes later, with snow and ice making visibility increasingly dangerous, the match was suspended. Players and fans endured a tense 10-minute delay, watching grounds crews clear the lines enough to resume the championship.
When play restarted, the teams battled fiercely through the remaining regulation minutes and into two 10-minute overtime periods. Both sides created chances. Neither found the winner. And as the clock hit 110 minutes, only one path remained:
penalty kicks — for the national title.
As PKs began, MVCC made a bold and strategic move: inserting goalkeeper Tijn Laanen specifically for the shootout. It proved to be the decision that crowned a champion.
Cabrera opened the shootout just as he had in regulation — converting cleanly to give Richland a 1–0 lead.
MVCC responded through Francesco Tagliavini, who buried his attempt to draw level at 1–1.
Richland's Sebastian Gonzalez smashed home the next attempt to retake the lead, 2–1, before Souayibou Diop answered for MVCC to tie it at 2–2.
The shootout turned when Mazin Saeed hit the post on Richland's third attempt, giving MVCC the advantage for the first time. Yet Richland's keeper Victor Gomez kept things even by saving Davi Pena Moretzsohn's shot moments later.
That's when Laanen took over.
Richland's Daniel Espana stepped up, but Laanen stretched out for a massive save, shifting the pressure squarely onto the Thunderducks.
In a moment of stunning poise, MVCC's goalkeeper Anderson Filho Costa throughout regulation and overtime — now a shooter — strode to the spot and rifled home his attempt, giving the Hawks a 3–2 advantage.
Richland's final shooter, Manlio Arango, needed to score to keep the title hopes alive.
Instead, Laanen delivered the defining moment of the season, diving to push away the shot and ignite a celebration in the snow.
MVCC 3, Richland 2 (PKs).
Back-to-back champions.
For the third straight year, MVCC and Richland met in the national final. For the second year in a row, the Hawks celebrated with the trophy. The rivalry — fierce, competitive, and built on mutual respect — produced its most dramatic chapter yet.
MVCC had multiple members honored for their perforamance:
Francesco Tagliavini was named the Championship's Most Valuable Player
Souayibou Diop was awarded the Championship's Most Valuable Offensive Player Award
Mario Camacho, Anderson Costa Filho, and Davi Moretzsohn Pena were named to the All-Tournament Team
Dominic DiMaggio was named Coach of the Tournament
After the match, Head Coach Dominic DiMaggio reflected on the whirlwind night:
"This was the craziest game of soccer I've ever been a part of. With Yannick Diaby receiving a red card in the semi due to retaliation, Eduardo Yuji stepped in and played a huge role for us. I'm so proud of the guys — the way they battled through adversity. I thought their penalty kick in regulation was a tough one to swallow, but we were confident we'd tie the game in the second half. Tijn came in for the shootout and was nothing short of spectactulor. Anderson was great for us all game in goal then stepped up and took a PK. The stars aligned tonight. I give Richland a ton of credit battling through the elements. It was an amazing game between two extremely talented teams. I firmly believe we will have many more years of MVCC vs. Dallas Richland rivalry in title games to come."
Snow swirling. Tension rising. Momentum shifting. Legends emerging.
This championship had everything — and when the storm cleared, the Hawks stood alone atop the NJCAA once again. With heart, resilience, and the heroics of Tijn Laanen, MVCC Men's Soccer etched its name into history:
2023 National Runner-Up.
2024 National Champions.
2025 National Champions.
A dynasty in the making.