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December 11, 2007 Utah's Megan Ohai Wins National Championship with USC
In the championship match, USC got back to its solid possession game, controlling the game while the Trojan defense turned away any and all Seminole attacks. When freshman midfielder Ashli Sandoval went down with an injury, the Trojans played a man down for almost six minutes. Florida State pushed back, but Olsen and the Trojan back line were stingy in turning away the Seminole opportunities. Sandoval came back on and evened things up in the 19th minute, and USC was able to get back to business. In the 25th minute of action, junior defender Stacey Strong sent a long ball up into the box, forcing FSU goalkeeper Erin McNulty to make a play on the ball. She knocked the ball off the crossbar, and Marihelen Tomer was there for the rebound, driving a header to the back of the net to lift the Trojans ahead 1-0. With 16 minutes left in the first half, Kristin Olsen squelched a dangerous FSU strike, diving on a ball before the Seminole forward was able to get a foot on a shot. The rest of the half passed scoreless, and the Women of Troy found a way to become even more powerful in the second half. The Trojans were effective in controlling the ball throughout the second half. Thanks to a strong midfield effort from Ashli Sandoval and Ashley Nick, and effort on the wings from Alyssa Davila and Tomer, USC manufactured several good looks on the FSU goal. With just 15 minutes left, USC broke through again. Wide on the left sideline, Megan Ohai lined up for a flip throw on goal. Kasey Johnson aimed for a header, but it was deflected out by a defender for a USC corner kick. Sandoval took the ball on the left corner, sending a ball into the box. Janessa Currier got a head on it, and the shot was saved but loose. Currier was right in position for the rebound, drilling a shot that pushed the Trojans ahead 2-0. Florida State was able to earn a series of corner kicks in the final minutes, but each try was turned away by the USC back line. As time drained, the Trojans saw their 20th win and their first-ever national championship finally coming into focus. The bench cleared, and the celebration of the university's 107th national championship began. USC now has won 21 women's national team championships and 106 men's titles. |
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