Two goals scored within a minute of each other late in the second half propelled the Dodgers to a second-round victory over the Shabazz Bulldogs.

For most of the game, neither team was faltering with both squad’s defenses being put on display, although Madison generally dominated possession.

Senior Matthew Munoz is responsible for breaking the 0-0 stalemate with 10 minutes to go in the game and giving the Dodger fans something to cheer about.

“[I saw the ball got misplayed] and just went forward and tapped it in,” Munoz said after the game describing his 20th goal of the season, 4th most in the NJAC. 

Roughly 40 seconds later, as the Dodger fans had just begun to settle back in, Junior Liam Goldberg put in his 3rd of the season, giving Madison a 2-0 lead and fueling the fans for another wave of cheering.

Despite Madison’s offense taking some time to produce, the Dodger defense was locked in all game, allowing minimal shot attempts from Shabazz, particularly in the second half.

This season, Madison won the Liberty Division and finished 2nd in the NJAC with an impeccable 19-1 record, their best in 15+ seasons and well deserving of the #2 seed.

Despite Shabazz’s season ending today, the 7-seed Bulldogs produced an excellent campaign, claiming their first-ever division title (Liberty) and finishing 5th in the SEC with a 13-6 record. Head coach, Jason Sassa Hernould has wrapped up his 3rd season at the helm.

Led by 7th-year head coach Richard Vasquez, Madison will make their first Semi-Final round appearance in 15+ seasons against 3-seed Harrison on Tuesday.