Entering the tournament as underdogs despite rattling-off 15-straight victories, the Heartland men's soccer team looked to prove the doubters wrong at the NJCAA DII National Tournament at the Kino Sports Complex in Tucson, Ariz. The No. 6-seeded Hawks knocked-off No. 10-seeded Georgia Military on Tuesday in pool-play before ultimately falling to Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC) Essex Wednesday.
 
The Hawks began the tournament Tuesday against a tough Georgia Military squad, as the Bulldogs were able to keep Heartland in check for much of the contest. It was not until the 67^th minute that Jaedyn Saunders finally connected for the Hawks with a header, which was ultimately the lone score of the match in Heartland's 1-0 victory. The Hawks shot 15 times, 7 of which were on goal. Goalkeeper Gonzalo Castells finished with 1 save.
 
Heartland would return Wednesday to face-off with No. 3-seeded CCBC Essex in the pool-deciding match, with the winner advancing to Friday's semifinals. The Hawks had numerous opportunities to find the net in the match, but the Knights would prevail after scoring the match's lone goal in the 8^th minute. Castells concluded the match with 5 saves on 6 shots on goal.
 
Although the Hawks' season ended in pool-play, the journey to make it to the National Tournament was an accomplishment in itself. Before falling to CCBC Essex, Heartland had not lost a match since a season-opening 2-0 loss at Lincoln Trail on Aug. 24. Heartland's 15-game winning streak included five wins over ranked opponents, a Region-24 championship and a District championship. The Hawks' season ends with a 16-2 overall record.