Bears Repeat as National Champions

PHOTOS

The Bears had that New York song blaring two weeks ago. They were celebrating in Farmers Branch, knowing the impending trip to win a national championship lay in the balance.

Mission accomplished.

Top-ranked Dallas College Brookhaven repeated as National Junior College Athletic Association Division III champions after beating third-ranked Mohawk Valley Community College, 2-1, in Herkimer, New York. It was the Bears' first repeat national title in program history and fourth overall.

CHAMPS ��@BCBearsDen defeats Mohawk Valley to win their fourth @NJCAA_Soccer DIII women's title over the last six seasons! pic.twitter.com/WxAbOtMxVy

— NJCAA Network (@NJCAANetwork) November 13, 2022

Brookhaven finished the season with a 16-0-1 record, its lone draw a 1-1 tie to Dallas Athletic Conference rival Dallas College Richland.

Meah Perez scored the gamewinning goal in the 60^th minute, marking the fourth straight game she's put the ball in the back of the net. Whitni Newbill assisted on the goal, giving her a team-leading 34 points this season.

Meah Perez gives @BCBearsDen a 2-1 lead in the @NJCAA_Soccer DIII women's national title match!

Watch the rest of the second half - https://t.co/O3OqYVnNrZ pic.twitter.com/PRLJC6cA7k

— NJCAA Network (@NJCAANetwork) November 13, 2022

Brookhaven goalkeeper Hayli Nichols stopped a shot in the 87^th minute to preserve the win.

The Bears surrendered their first goal since that tie to Richland on Sept. 16 when Jazmyn Gillette scored 6:14 into the match. It was a scoreless streak that spanned 13 games. But Meleni Lorenzo answered for Brookhaven in the 29^th minute, scoring an unassisted goal to tie the game at 1-1.

Mohawk Valley (15-1-1) outshot Brookhaven, 15-11, forcing Nichols (11-0-1) to make a season-high nine saves. Mohawk Valley keeper Hannah Pcola stopped seven of the nine shots she faced. Nichols had four saves in the first half and five in the second.

Following the game-tying goal, Brookhaven's Alexa Bezpalko, Ivelyn Jimenez and Newbill all put shots on frame within a 4:21 span, but Pcola stopped them all. Five minutes later, Gillette took a crack at the net, but Nichols made the save to keep things tied up. In the 42^nd minute, Bezpalko banged a shot off the post. Then she ripped a shot with 12 seconds left in the first half, but Pcola came up with her sixth shot of the game.

The Bears have won four national championships in six seasons under head coach Jimmy Elder and assistant coach Robert Williams.