Pensacola, Fla. – You couldn’t miss Metro State’s Kira Sharp.
With neon green-dyed tips on her red hair matching her neon- green shoes, Sharp stood over the ball with a chance to win the NCAA Division II women’s soccer championship in sudden-death overtime Saturday.
After Grand Valley State was whistled for a rough foul in the first overtime period, Sharp lined up a free kick from 23 yards out in the 94th minute.
She looped a curving, knuckling shot over a Grand Valley State defensive wall that plunged into the bottom-left corner of the net, dinging the post on the way in for the golden goal and Metro State won 1-0.
It was Sharp’s second overtime winner in as many games,and No. 12-ranked Metro State (24-2) celebrated its second Division II women’s soccer title in the past three years.
“I knew it was going in the second I hit it,” Sharp said. “I had the confidence to take that shot.”
Sharp and Roadrunners coach Danny Sanchez knew how easily they could have been the ones watching No. 8 Grand Valley State celebrate. Grand Valley had a 13-12 edge in shots, with goalkeeper Rachel Zollner making four saves for Metro State.
“It was a very even match that could have gone either way,” Sanchez said. “They had us on our heels, and they had some great chances at the end of the game.”
The Roadrunners stifled Grand Valley State’s Katy Tafler, the nation’s leading scorer with 33 goals in 22 games, with midfielder Vanessa Mais marking her nearly the whole game.
Metro State’s Kylee Hanavan had a scoring chance in regulation when she twisted past a defender at the right side of the penalty area, but her shot at the near post careened off the side netting.
Metro State freshman forward Becca Mays nearly won the game late when she stripped a Lakers defender of the ball at the corner of the penalty area, but her shot was saved by Grand Valley State goalie Kristina Nasturzio.
Then seconds later, Grand Valley State nearly scored at the other end when Irie Dennis surged through the middle of the Metro State defense. But Zollner charged and plucked the ball off her feet from 12 yards out.
“I was just focused on the ball,” Zollner said. “I knew I needed to make that save. She left it just enough in front of her for me to reach it.”
Men
DOWLING COLLEGE 1, FORT LEWIS 0
Dowling’s Morten Jensen scored in the 38th minute and the Golden Lions kept Fort Lewis from repeating as national champion by winning the NCAA Division II men’s soccer championship.
After Dowling (22-0-2) cruised through the first 45 minutes, Fort Lewis (21-2-1) rallied with an onslaught in the second half. The late effort echoed the Skyhawks’ three-goal second half in a comeback win over Lincoln Memorial in the semifinals.
But Dowling defenders swept away three Fort Lewis shots from the goal line in the final 20 minutes to preserve the win.
Fort Lewis leading scorer John Cunliffe twice had shots denied by Dowling’s back line, and his shot in the 84th minute careened off the crossbar.
It was Dowling’s first national soccer title.
