PENSACOLA, Fla. From almost the exact same spot on the pitch where David Bardens header gave Fort Lewis College mens soccer its second national title in 2009, the unlikely hero took aim.
Lynn University hadnt allowed a goal off a corner kick all year long, and FLC senior defender Berekk Blackwell only had scored three times in his career.
None of that mattered when Blackwell got position on his defender and thrust himself upward through the damp Florida air just 91 seconds into overtime. It mattered less when he got his head to Joey Madigans corner kick.
It didnt matter at all when his header found the back of the net.
All that mattered now was the score Fort Lewis 3, Lynn 2. National champions once more.
Lynn, a private college in Boca Raton, Fla., rallied late to square the game at 2, but Blackwells header set off a raucous celebration of FLC coaches, players and about 40 FLC fans Saturday at Ashton Brosnaham Soccer Complex, all celebrating the third national title in program history.
It feels like a dream. No better place to do it than in overtime of the national championship game, Blackwell said.
Artur Piperkov set up the corner kick when his cross attempt had to be headed out of danger by a Lynn defender. Madigan, one of five seniors playing in his final collegiate game, lifted the corner kick into the air, landing it on Blackwells head just a few yards in front of the center of the goal, then Blackwell snapped his head from right to left, finishing off the Fighting Knights.
Blackwell, along with Ryan Wirth, Fabian Kling, Thomas Hoang and Cory Dean, was on the 2009 roster and said he was honored to be part of the first class in FLC history to finish with two national championships.
Its amazing, Blackwell said. I think its just a testament to the people Oige brings in. Its not just one or two people getting the job done; its the whole team.
Victory was far from certain in the games final moments. FLC, which had rallied from an early deficit to lead 2-1, nearly had its heart broken in the 72nd minute. Martin Wehlert ever so slightly tapped a free kick from about 30 yards from goal to Harald Gracholski, who fired it past Wirth to pull things even at 2.
It was to and fro. ... To go behind, and then to come back, and then to put yourself in the lead, and then to let them back in it, it had a bit of everything, FLC head coach Oige Kennedy said. Thankfully we got there in the end.
Kosta Kordistos put the Skyhawks in front in the 32nd minute. Dean led him down the left side, and the freshman striker ran on to the pass, got to within 13 yards and fired far post to beat Matt DiCerbo to the far post.
It was the capstone to a long and winding season for Kordistos, who missed a month and a half with an ACL injury and was cleared to play without a brace just this weekend. After being so close to redshirting and missing out on this long tournament run, capping his first year with a goal in the most important of games was icing on the cake.
I remember when I got injured, Oige spoke with me about that, about redshirting, Kordistos said. And I told him Im going to be fit and in shape for the (Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference) tournament, that was our first goal. I told him we had a great team ... Im pretty happy that everything worked out like this.
Lynn (14-5-3) got on the board first, outshot FLC 12-3 and caused problems for Fort Lewis for sizeable stretches throughout the game. Gracholski converted a free kick from 20 yards out in front of the FLC goal to give Lynn a 1-0 lead in the 14th minute.
The Fighting Knights nearly scored again seconds later, but Wirth got a hand on Stefan Wolfs shot as he charged to meet Wolf on the left side of the penalty area.
I think it took us a little bit to settle down in the game and find our rhythm a little bit, Kennedy said. They came out flying. ... They definitely came out and closed us down.
Lynn head coach John Rootes said the plan was to apply constant pressure on the ball, hoping to disrupt Fort Lewis skilled passers. For several stretches, the plan was successful.
Lynns Johnny Mertl hit a post in the 25th minute of the game, and Gracholski, a few minutes later, danced into the box with good passing from the Fighting Knights and fired a shot wide right of goal.
Our game plan was to pressure them and push our defense up high and make it difficult for them to play ... and we did. In the first half, we had a number of opportunities, Rootes said.
Fortune smiled on the Skyhawks (24-1-0) in the 25th minute. Alberto Capdepon Rodriguez hit a free kick from about 35 yards out on the left wing, and his salvo glanced off the head of Fighting Knights defender Jason Sangha, who was marking Kling, and found the back of his own goal to square the game at 1.
In the aftermath of the victory, Thomas Hoang gave a national championship hat to his parents; coach Kennedy and his father, David Kennedy, took a picture with their native Irish flag; and Ryan Wirth, son of Bayfields Fredi and Robin Wirth, lept into the crowd near members of his family who made the trek down for the final four.
On Wirths undershirt scrawled in marker were the words For Aaland a reminder that FLC hadnt forgotten about members of its extended family. Gus Aaland, the 5-month-old son of FLC assistant athletic director Chris Aaland and FLC volleyball coach Shelly Aaland, died last week, and Kennedy dedicated the victory to the Aaland family.
The Skyhawks tied the 2009 team for the Division II record for most wins in a season to go with the national title, and Kennedy moved his record to a perfect 10-0 as a head coach in the NCAA Tournament.
The final goal was a fitting cap to a three-star season the number of stars that will grace the Skyhawks soccer crest next year to mark another national title. As the team waited to accept their hard-earned awards, members of a giddy crowd began singing for the next step.
We want four stars!