For Immediate Release: December 1, 2003

Contact: Chris Gondek, SUNYAC Publicist

Oneonta Captures NCAA Division III Women’s Soccer Championship

FREDONIA, N. Y. – Oneonta’s postseason has been filled with dramatic games and come-from-behind victories. Sunday’s national championship was certainly no exception. Junior Brooke Davis (Grand Gorge/Stamford) scored with just 29 seconds remaining in the game to force overtime and senior Sanada Mujanovic (Centereach/Centereach) got the game-winner 2:56 into the extra session to give the Red Dragons the national championship.
The national title is the first team national championship in the history of Oneonta. The Red Dragon men’s soccer team was runner-up in 1972 and men’s basketball finished second in 1977. Oneonta is also the first SUNYAC team to earn the title since the Plattsburgh State men’s hockey and Cortland field hockey teams won in 2001 and first women’s soccer team to finish at the top since Cortland in 1992.
Chicago took the lead 1-0 on the Red Dragons in the 32^nd minute on a perfect service from Maroon freshman Misa Bretschneider (McLean, VA) to sophomore Jacqui DeLeon (Mission Viejo, CA). In the second half, Oneonta dominated play and had several scoring opportunities but simply could not find the goal. With less than a minute left in regulation, it appeared Chicago, after eliminating the Red Dragons in the 2002 NCAA Tournament, would get the better of Oneonta again. Following a foul, however, senior Rose Velan (Stamford/Chazy) served a quick restart into the penalty area that the Chicago goalkeeper misplayed. The ball went to Davis who collected the ball at the top of the box and fired into an empty goal to miraculously send the game into overtime. In the extra period, Mujanovic received the ball on the right side of the goal 25 yards out and drove a ball towards goal. The ball somehow found the net inside the top left goal post to give the Red Dragons the win, and the NCAA title.
Davis was named the Most Outstanding Offensive Player of the national championship weekend after her heroics to tie the game Sunday and her game-winner with just over 10 minutes to play in Saturday’s 2-1 come-from-behind semifinal win over The College of New Jersey. Joining her on the All-Tournament Team was sophomore goalkeeper Laura Morcone (Mechanicville/Mechanicville), junior defender Tricia Jaeger (Baldwin/Baldwin) and senior forward Amanda LaPolla (New Hartford/New Hartford).