Chaparral repeated as 5A girls state soccer champion on Saturday evening after defeating Notre Dame Prep 3-2 in overtime at Campo Verde High School.

 

“This was unbelievable, last year’s championship game went to double-OT and we pulled out the win. The girls just kept fighting, I told them if you play as a team you are going to win as a team.  I’m so proud of all of them,” Chaparral head coach Robyn Carlson said.

 

In the 110th minute, junior midfielder McKenzie Davis scored on a free kick to win the game for the Firebirds.

 

“If you hit it over, it’s over the goal, I had to hit it low and hope for the best,” Davis said.

 

Davis had the game-winning goal off a header in last year’s final as well.

 

“I have no idea how I make the game-winning goals, I’m just thankful to have won this one,” Davis said.

 

The game was deadlocked at zero for the first half of play with both defenses clicking on all cylinders.

 

The scoring opened up in the 47th minute when Notre Dame Prep senior midfielder Luciana Garcia-Reifkohl shot one past the goaltender on the bottom right side.

 

Chaparral answered in the 70th minute with a goal of their own off a deflection from sophomore forward Isabella Struckman.

 

Chaparral gained their first lead of the game off of a broken play in front the net in the 73rd minute.

 

With less than a minute remaining in regulation Notre Dame Prep's Anna White shot one low into the bottom left corner to tie the game at 2.

 

“It was a heartbreaker, we were all upset.  I told them to focus on what is ahead, not the past.  We have to attack and play defense,” Carlson said. 

 

In overtime, Chaparral led in shots on goal with five, while the Saints had one.

 

“I would have thought we would have had momentum going into the first overtime. The break killed our momentum. In the first 10 minutes Chaparral had the upper hand, but in the second half we had some quality chances,” Notre Dame Prep head coach Tom White said.

 

The Saints finished regulation with 11 shots total, nine being on goal.

 

“In regards to that, I think we had more quality chances.  Soccer is easily one of the cruelest sports because you can have more quality chances, but if you don’t capitalize on those chances you cannot win,” Tom White said.

 

Notre Dame Prep carried 14 seniors this season and their impact on the school will not be forgotten.

 

“We talked earlier in the season, telling them to leave their legacy.  I had 10 players who have been on varsity since freshman year.  I am incredibly proud of them, they set the bar extremely high for the future teams of this program,” Tom White said.

 

“It is always a great game, it’s like a battle on the field.  Both teams left it out on the field it was a game to remember.”