Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (11/25) - The Wheaton College Thunder won its second NCAA Division III Women’s Soccer National Championship on Saturday afternoon by defeating the College of New Jersey by a score of 2-0 in the NCAA Division III Women’s Soccer National Championship Match. Head coach Pete Felske said after the match, “The Lord has really blessed us. I am really proud of these players and what they have done.”
Junior forward Sarah Richardson collected a Maria Della Torre pass and scored Wheaton’s first goal in the 16th minute of the match. Richardson said of the goal, “Mia [Della Torre] did most of the work by finding me open and I had a good first touch.”
Richardson completed her Final Four hat trick, including a goal in the National Semifinal, with a goal off of a Taryne Lee assist with five minutes remaining in the first half as Lee threaded a pass to Richardson, who beat her defender and fired the shot into the back of the net.
Wheaton’s phenomenal defense was led by Bethany Barton, as the Thunder would not allow the College of New Jersey to get a shot on goal in the first half. Wheaton defenders Lauren Lindner and Kira Davis shut down the Lions’ attacks. Sophomore Kelly Foltz kept the Lions’ leading scorer, Dana DiBruno, from converting her few chances.
It was an ironic twist for Barton, as she tallied the clinching penalty kick in the 2004 National Championship Match. This time she captained the defense that refused to allow a goal throughout the NCAA Tournament, as she earned all-tournament honors and Defensive MVP honors for the tournament. Barton said after the match, “It feels good to win outright; nobody likes to win on penalty kicks. It is good to have a 2-0 win like this.”
Wheaton’s junior goalkeeper Kristin Eggert recorded her 12th shutout of the season, and the team record 19th overall for the Thunder. She made three saves, including one with less than three minutes remaining in the match. The Lions’ goalkeeper Jessica Clarke made four saves and allowed two goals.
This is Wheaton’s second National Championship in three years. Head Coach Pete Felske’s team won the National Championship in 2004 2-1 with a 5-4 advantage in penalty kicks over the University of Puget Sound.
Joining Barton as the Defensive Player of the Tournament, and Richardson received offensive honors. Both players were joined on the All-Tournament Team by Lee and Eggert. Kristen Cubicciotti, Jamie Kunkel, and Laura Delaney were named to the team from the College of New Jersey.
Lions’ head coach Joe Russo said after the match, “They [Wheaton] are one of the best teams I have seen in a long time.” Russo added, “Wheaton is an excellent team and they have good front-runners, with great pace.”
