Brookdale Girls Soccer Wins Second Straight National Title

Photo above: The 2014 NJCAA DIII National Champions

Photo by Tom Smith

By Mike Ready (Star Patcher)

TOMS RIVER – After 99 minutes of scoreless soccer played in a surreal-like setting as darkness blanketed the stadium and the field turf glistened from the reflection of the lights, Megan Begley took the shot of her life.

After gaining possession of a cleared ball, she rifled a shot from 30-yards out that clipped the crossbar and deflected off goalkeeper Amari Olivan’s out-stretched hands and into the back of the net for a record-setting goal that set off a wild celebration just outside the 18.

Begley’s dream goal handed the Jersey Blues their second straight NJCAA DIII Women’s Soccer National Championship while also making history for being the first-ever Brookdale team to win back-to-back national titles in any sport.

Tournament Most Valuable Player Caroline Duerr (Manasquan H.S.) set the wheels in motion on the winning goal with a sensational hustle play to keep the ball inbounds. Gaining control of a 50-50 ball, she then dribbled down the right sideline and deflected the ball off a Richland player out of bounds and beyond the back line for a Brookdale corner kick.

Ashley Cafarella (Old Bridge H.S.) then headed Brooke Tartis’ (Neptune H.S.) corner kick but it was off target and cleared out of the 18-yard box by Richland and into the path of Begley, who controlled it, lined it up, and let it fly.

“When I shot it I didn’t think it had a chance to go in,” Begley (Mater Dei Prep) said. ”It bounced out of the box and I just ran up there and gave it a shot hoping it would go somewhere for someone to play it; but it went in. It’s unreal, we worked so hard to get here – this is huge.”

The Jersey Blues dominated play in overtime taking the only two shots in the period and keeping possession of the ball in their own end the majority of the time. Sophomore Nichole Rodriguez (Union H.S.) came close to ending it four minutes into overtime when her shot on goal was misplayed by Olivan, almost getting by her.

“In three or four months we all became really, really good friends and that shows on the field,” Rodriguez said. “In a game like this you have to keep pushing, dig deep and come from your heart. At that point of the game it was who wanted it more and who had more heart.”

As was the case last year, Brookdale (20-1) will end season ranked No.1 in NJCAA DIII play – a position they’ve held onto from start-to-finish after being named to the top spot in pre-season polls.

Brookdale’s defense was outstanding as usual allowing one goal in three tournament games. Sophomore sweeper Amanda Anastasia (Middletown South H.S.) continually cleared the ball out of the zone with booming kicks downfield and freshman stopper Meredith Parleman (Middletown North H.S.) held Richland’s leading scorer, Lauren Vasquez, to zero shots with air-tight coverage the entire game. Sophomore Ali Maddock (Henry Hudson Regional) and freshman Ali Montefinese (Monmouth Regional) were rock-solid in the back as well and freshman goalkeeper Marti Stewart (Marlboro H.S.) again stopped everything in her path on her way to her 12th shutout of the season.

Duerr was named tournament Most Valuable Player for the second year in a row after scoring three goals with 10 shots on goal, but it was her leadership and relentless hustle that really stood out in the tournament.

“I’m feeling like I’m on cloud nine, I’m so pumped,” Duerr said after the win. “Meghan’s shot was such a beautiful shot; she’s such a great player. She’s so underrated and she deserved that goal; she owns that goal. When I saw it go in it rocked my world.”

Rodriguez, who scored two goals in the tournament, was named the Offensive Most Valuable Player while defensive aces Anastasia and Montefinese were named to the All-Tournament team.

Head coach Katie Miller was named Coach of the Tournament for the second consecutive year and is quite familiar with the Richland Thunderducks. As an All-Region XIX defender her sophomore year in 2006, Miller’s team lost to Richland in the championship game and up until last season that was the furthest Brookdale women’s soccer had ever advanced in the tournament.

“Our girls left it all on the field, these were two evenly matched teams,” Miller said. “They worked hard all year long and this proves any goal can be achieved with hard work, determination and believing in one in other.”

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