Wheaton women repeat as national champs
The Wheaton College Thunder (27-0) recorded the first undefeated season in school history with a 1-0 win over Messiah College (23-1) to clinch their third NCAA III women's soccer national championship in four years.
Messiah got the first scoring chance of the match midway through the second minute with a corner kick from the right corner by Avie Fitzgerald, but was unable to muster a shot off the initial ball into the area. Wheaton then went on a 26-minute run of chances, during which the Falcons could not put together an attempt on goal.
Libby Passiales (WW South) had perhaps the best scoring chance for either side in the first 20 minutes when she hit a blast just high of the crossbar in the 20th minute for Wheaton's fourth shot of the match. Messiah's best chance of the half came in the 32nd minute when substitute Erin Hench got a pass in the middle of the penalty area, but could not put enough pace on the shot to get it past Wheaton's keeper.
The first goal of the match came off the foot of Wheaton's Jami Hermann late in the 43rd minute when she took possession of a loose ball in the Messiah penalty area, and bent it under the keeper's dive into the lower left side of net. The goal marks Hermann's sixth of the season, and gave the Thunder a slim 1-0 advantage with a little over two minutes remaining in the first half.
Messiah responded with renewed determination, finishing the half with two quality chances by Amy Horst and Amanda Naeher in the closing seconds of the half.
The second half began in much the same way as the first, with both sides unable to take advantage of multiple chances. Wheaton came out of the break determined to add to its one goal advantage, forcing Messiah's keeper to make two tough saves in the first 10 minutes of the period. The Falcons countered back with three quality chances of their own in the next five minutes off the feet of Rowe and Emily Cope.
Messiah dictated play in the final 10 minutes of the match, but could not find the back of the net for the equalizer. The Falcons' best chance to get back on terms in the match came late in the 88 th minute when Cope hit a blast to the bottom right corner that Wheaton's Kristin Eggert (Glenbard South) stopped with a diving save.
"Three national championships is something to be proud of," Richardson said. "All of our freshmen stepped up big, and each brought something unique to the table to help us get to this point."
Wheaton caps its historic season with its 17th shutout of the season against a relentless Falcon attack that provided steady work for the Thunder back line throughout the 90 minutes of play. Messiah finishes 2007 with its only loss of the season in its fourth consecutive trip to the final four that includes a national championship win in 2005.
"Our kids will look back on this as something to be proud of," said Wheaton coach Pete Felske. "To win two national championships in a row is tough, but to do so undefeated when teams are gunning for you is something special."