Thunder runs out of gas in title game
GREENSBORO, N.C. - The Wheaton College women's soccer team had its quest for a three-peat ended by Messiah College in a 5-0 loss in the NCAA Division III championship on Saturday.
The Thunder ended their season at 22-4-2, while the Falcons finished 24-0-2. Saturday night's battle was a rematch of last year's championship final, which Wheaton won 1-0.
With temperatures in the high 30s, the match evolved into a series of 1-on-1 matchups on the field as both teams marked the premier players on each side and concentrated on containing them. Wheaton pressed the attack early and controlled the ball well.
With Messiah containing the middle and denying lead scorer Taryne Lee (Wheaton Academy), Wheaton attacked from the outsides with crossing shots. Messiah got its chances as well, but Wheaton's forwards dropped back well on defense and the Thunder defenders blocked shots well around the box.
One of the best chances that the Thunder created on offense came with 19:55 left in the half as Ali Kopelman's header was saved at the goal line after a Lauren Moser free kick, The only scoring tally of the half came on a broken play. Messiah sent a cross from the back left goal line to the top of the box, and three players collided going for the ball. Erin Hench collected the loose ball and sent a shot into the back of the net at 27:44 into the match.
Wheaton had a great chance to score with 12:48 left in the half as Lee sent a great cross from the right side to Jami Herrmann, but Herrmann sent the ball high over the net. Messiah held a 10-4 shot advantage at the half and increased that number with aggressive attacks right from the start of the second half.
With 33:56 left in the game, Messiah's Kacie Klynstra juked her defender and scored 1-on-1 to increase the lead to 2-0. The floodgates opened soon after as Messiah scored three more times and kept attacking all the way until the game clock showed zeros.
With the game in hand, the Falcons packed it in on defense and wouldn't allow the Thunder to rally. Wheaton got its best chances to score late from Lee. The junior forward hit a great left-footer through a triple-team at the top of the box that got saved and had a rocket right footer pass just over the right-corner crossbar.
For the game the Falcons held a 21-7 shot advantage. Wheaton goalkeeper Ingrid Erickson (Wheaton Academy) allowed 3 goals and made 2 saves while Messiah's Brindley Beckwith made 3 saves.
"On our side what you saw was total exhaustion," Wheaton head coach Pete Felske said. "It was a long year. Throughout the course of the year, we couldn't have asked for any more out of our players. I think we ran out of gas. We're very thankful to be here today and Messiah was just a better all-around squad."
The All-Tournament Team included Wheaton's Brittany Bergh, Kelly Foltz and Lee. Wheaton and Messiah have won the last five Division III national championships; the Thunder have three and the Falcons own two.
The defeat was Wheaton's first postseason loss since the third round of 2005, a 2-1 loss to University of Chicago.