Back to Back!
Women Win the National Championship Second Year in a Row
Jeff Dembeck
Issue date: 12/10/09 Section: Sports
The Messiah Women's soccer team concluded their 2009 season the same way they concluded their 2008 season, as National Champions.
"A common misconception is that it was easy for us to become champions the past two seasons, because [others] only see it from the outside looking in," says senior Amanda Naeher. "However, we are successful because of all of the hard work that we put into it."
On Saturday, December 5, the determined Messiah team concluded their season with a win over Washington University- St Louis 1-0, winning their second straight National Championship. They finished up a season that started three months ago with the grand prize.
The team played exceptionally well throughout the NCAA Tournament and headed into the tournament as the number one seed. Their run started at home against Farmingdale State University, on November 14th, with a dominating 6-1 win; goals came from senior Amy Horst, junior Joanna Haqq, freshman Corinne Wulf, and sophomore Rachel Loya, with two from senior Amanda Naeher. They followed that game with another win against Endicott College the very next day, resulting with a score of 1-0, when Naeher netted another goal, assisted by junior Erin Hench.
The weekend of November 21-22, the Falcons traveled to Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore for the NCAA Sectionals. There they met Otterbein College in what would arguably be their biggest test of the tournament. The game went into double overtime before Naeher, assisted by Hench, scored to give Messiah the victory. This gave Naeher an incredible four goals in three games.
The very next day Messiah played host Johns Hopkins of Maryland, a team they had beaten earlier this season. The Falcons cruised to a 3-1 victory, with two goals coming from Hench and another one added by Naeher. The win sent the team to the Final Four in San Antonio, giving them the chance to potentially go back to back.
The Falcons arrived in San Antonio for the National Semi-Finals ready to face the College of New Jersey. Messiah won with a score of 1-0; an unbelievable goal from junior Joanna Haqq gave the team their victory. A spot in the finals.
"A common misconception is that it was easy for us to become champions the past two seasons, because [others] only see it from the outside looking in," says senior Amanda Naeher. "However, we are successful because of all of the hard work that we put into it."
On Saturday, December 5, the determined Messiah team concluded their season with a win over Washington University- St Louis 1-0, winning their second straight National Championship. They finished up a season that started three months ago with the grand prize.
The team played exceptionally well throughout the NCAA Tournament and headed into the tournament as the number one seed. Their run started at home against Farmingdale State University, on November 14th, with a dominating 6-1 win; goals came from senior Amy Horst, junior Joanna Haqq, freshman Corinne Wulf, and sophomore Rachel Loya, with two from senior Amanda Naeher. They followed that game with another win against Endicott College the very next day, resulting with a score of 1-0, when Naeher netted another goal, assisted by junior Erin Hench.
The weekend of November 21-22, the Falcons traveled to Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore for the NCAA Sectionals. There they met Otterbein College in what would arguably be their biggest test of the tournament. The game went into double overtime before Naeher, assisted by Hench, scored to give Messiah the victory. This gave Naeher an incredible four goals in three games.
The very next day Messiah played host Johns Hopkins of Maryland, a team they had beaten earlier this season. The Falcons cruised to a 3-1 victory, with two goals coming from Hench and another one added by Naeher. The win sent the team to the Final Four in San Antonio, giving them the chance to potentially go back to back.
The Falcons arrived in San Antonio for the National Semi-Finals ready to face the College of New Jersey. Messiah won with a score of 1-0; an unbelievable goal from junior Joanna Haqq gave the team their victory. A spot in the finals.
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