Two weeks ago, the Madison College soccer team ended an improved season with a 1-0 loss to Joliet on Oct. 23.

However, despite the loss, this teamed showed again that it has great defensive potential, holding a Joliet team that shut them out 7-0 earlier this season to one goal on 27 shots.

“If you look at the stats, it says they had 27 shots, but they were all from 30 yards out and our goalkeeper had no trouble dealing with it,” said coach Cory Sims of the shots Joliet took.

Both teams went scoreless in the first half behind a different look defense that had been saved for the playoff game. Sims said the previous game against Joliet, a 3-2 loss at home, had been to lull them into a false sense of security before unleashing the new game plan when it mattered most.

The game was scoreless until mid-way into the second half, when Joliet put in the game’s only goal. Madison College failed to find the net, being shut out for the third time this year.

For next season, Sims’ expectations remain the same from game to game. “My expectations are always the same, I’m very competitive, I always want to win,” he said.

He said he believes it is on the players more than before. Sims believes the players want it as badly as, if not more than the coaching staff, and that next season will be an improvement from this one. Also, a strong returning core of experienced players, including team captains Marco Meneses and Elliot Piper will help this team improve on their 5-10 record.

Joliet went on to beat five-time reigning regional Division III NJCAA champion Triton College, 2-0, on Oct. 26 to advance in the tournament.