The girls soccer team defeated Land O’Lakes 2-1 in extra time in the Class 3A girls soccer state championship game Friday night in Melbourne to win its third straight state title. Not only did the girls 3-peat, they also won the ninth girls soccer title in school history.
The Patriots defeated Merritt Island, whom they beat in the state championship game last year, 2-0 in the state semifinal game Thursday afternoon.
Just 40 seconds into the state championship, the Patriots scored their first and only goal of regulation, when sophomore Chyanne Dennis lobbed a free kick down in front of the net, and sophomore Emma Vasquez knocked in the goal.
The Patriots controlled the ball most of the first half, managing to get off 10 shots compared to Land O’Lakes two shots.
In the second half, the Patriots again out-shot Land O’Lakes but couldn’t capitalize on their scoring chances. Land O’Lakes tied the game off a corner kick with 20 minutes left in the game.
Regulation ended tied 1-1, and the game went to extra time, with the golden goal rule in effect – the first team to score wins.
Junior and University of Miami commit Dejah Cason scored the state championship winning goal 2:20 into overtime, after senior and Radford signee Alyssa Rodriquez crossed a kick in front of the goal, and senior and UF signee Melanie Monteagudo, passed it to Cason, who buried the ball into the net.
“Alyssa got a great cross to the center, Mel [Monteagudo] got a one-touch over to me and when the ’keeper committed to the left side, I saw the bottom right corner of the net open up and just let it go,” Cason said. “What a moment when I kicked it because I knew it was going in and had state championship written all over it.”
Senior goalie and NYU signee Julia Kingsley said, “Getting a 3-peat wasn’t easy, but the feeling is indescribable. For the seniors, leaving with a championship win is the best feeling in the world.”
