CHANUTE, Kan. – Josh Garcia recorded his first career hat trick to guide Neosho to a 4-1 win over Northwest Kansas Technical College in the opening round of the Region 6 playoffs.
 
On a cold and windy night that saw temperatures fall to 50 and wind gusts near 40 miles an hour the conditions were less than ideal for soccer. The Panthers played the first half with the wind at their back and wasted no time taking advantage of it.
 
Just one minute and 12 seconds into the match Eduardo Carvalho put away a pass from Josh Garcia to give the Panthers a quick 1-0 lead.
 
Neosho would keep up their offensive attack as NJCAA Player of the Week Marcos Lucero had multiple looks at the goal, but great play by the Northwest Tech keeper Kieran Harrison and a shot just offline kept the score 1-0 until the 25^th minute.
 
It was in the 25^th minute when the Panthers attempt to clear a ball from the box deflected to a Maverick forward who was able to sneak the ball past the KJCCC Keeper of the Week Moussa Sy to tie the game at 1-1.
 
Just five minutes later the Panthers would regain the lead after Eduardo Carvalho was fouled in the box and earned a penalty kick for Neosho. Josh Garcia calmly stepped up and hammered home the PK to give the Panthers a 2-1 lead that would carry into halftime.
 
In the second half the Panthers would be playing into the wind that got stronger throughout the match. They would make the most of their opportunities in the second half however as they were only able to attempt three shots but found the net on two of them.
 
The first came in the 51^st minute when Marcos Lucero played a perfect cross past the Maverick keeper to Josh Garcia who tapped it in for his first career multi-goal game.
 
That same duo would pair up again in the 58^th minute as Lucero played a ball forward into the wind and Garcia got behind the defense and beat the keeper one on one as he added to his career high goal total with his third of the match.
 
Moussa Sy was outstanding in net for the Panthers. Sy was credited with five saves on the night but made some great plays to keep the Mavericks off the scoreboard in the second half as the Panthers faced numerous corner kicks in the stiff wind.
 
The Panthers improve to 15-3-1 win the win. The 15 wins ties a school record set in 2006 and 2007. Neosho advances to the second round of the Region 6 playoffs and will host the No. 3 seeded Barton Cougars on Sunday, October 29 at 4:00pm.