YUMA, Ariz. - For the first time in five years, the Arizona Western men's soccer team will not end the regular season as ACCAC champions. That title goes to the Mohave College Big Horns who completed the regular season sweep over the Matadors with a 1-0 win on Friday night. The #16 ranked Big Horns finish ACCAC play 8-0 and drop Arizona Western to 6-2 by defeating the Matadors 3-1 in Bullhead City on Tuesday and again on Friday night at Matador Field in front of a large crowd during the regular season finale. The Big Horns sport seven players from Yuma County on its roster and a large portion of the crowd came out to see the local talent. 

"That's the best we played in a long time," Arizona Western head coach Kenny Dale said. "All of those opportunities. It was unfortunate, we made one mistake, and that's our game. A lot of times our game comes down to one mistake."

That mistake came in the 25th minute on a corner kick that was deflected into the net by Mohave College's Ethan Harris. The Matadors had at least a half dozen chances to score throughout the game but missed the mark with shots veering just wide or above the crossbar. Mohave College goalkeeper Chase Radford played stellar in between the posts with some big saves and aggressive play. 

"I can't fault the effort, the energy or enthusiasm of our guys, they pressed right until the end," Dale said. "It gets down to decision making in the attacking third. Some of us decide to shoot when we should pass, and pass when we should shoot. So, that was challenging. Hopefully we'll have another chance at them in the playoffs."

If Arizona Western is to get another shot at Mohave College it will be on the road for the Region I title on November 1st, in Bullhead City. Mohave College, in the program's second season, noy only claimed the program's first ACCAC title but also the #1 seed in the playoffs. If Arizona Western is to reach another District final, the road to get there now goes through Bullhead City.

"We've got to finish our chances," Dale said. "We exposed them repeatedly. We need a little more attention to detail and if it were me, this would add a little fire in me as a player."

The Matadors enter the Region I playoffs as the #2 seed and will host Yavapai in the semi-finals on Tuesday at Matador Field at 6:00 p.m. The Roughriders enter the match winners of two in a row.