The Catamounts men's soccer team won the Division 1 national championship on Monday night in Cary, N.C. Max Kissel scored a golden goal five minutes into the first overtime period to defeat Marshall 2-1 in the College Cup final.
It was Vermont's first appearance in a national championship game in a team sport and the first for an America East Conference team. That's despite these Catamounts having to travel nearly 8,000 miles in six NCAA tournament games – “7,920,” victorious coach Rob Dow cheerfully told his team.
The last five have taken place away from home, four of them against seeded teams. No. 7 Hofstra, No. 2 Pittsburgh, No. 3 Denver in Friday's national semifinals in Cary and No. 13 Marshall, seeking its second national title in five years.
Vermont, unseeded despite having the third-best winning percentage in Division 1 over the past three years, beat them all.
“I think we're the toughest team to play against,” said Dow, a head coach at Franklin's Dean College from 2006 to 2008 and an assistant at Southern New Hampshire before moving to Vermont in 2012.
“To come back, the heart cats. We made it.”
Like against Denver, Vermont (16-2-6) had to come from behind in the final 10 minutes. After a scoreless first half in which Marshall (15-2-7) didn't have a shot on goal, the Thundering Herd took control in the second half and took the lead in the 67th minute.
Tarik Pannholzer, who scored the only goal in Marshall's semifinal upset of No. 1 Ohio State, struck again. After Vermont goalkeeper Niklas Herceg buried Rai Pinto's cross from a low angle in front of the goal, Pannholzer shot it into the net for his third goal of the season and NCAA.
However, the Catamounts had plenty of time. Before Monday, they had outscored their five NCAA opponents 8-2 in the second half, and 16 of their 48 goals this season came in the 82nd minute of play or later.
The equalizer came in the 81st minute thanks to another chance from Herceg, the nation's leaders, who made it 1-0 with a stunning stop from Haruhi Taneda. After a poor save from Marshall goalkeeper Aleksa Janjic, Marcell Papp completed a back-and-forth with David Ismail, Papp's right-footed shot found the far corner despite Janjic's fingertip touch.
Kissel almost scored the winner four minutes later in regulation time when he broke in and faced Janjic, but the goalkeeper fired his shot just wide of the far post.
That potentially meant two 10-minute overtime periods followed by penalties. Unlike against Denver, penalties would not be necessary.
Defenseman Zach Barrett deftly read a Marshall pass in his own field, collected it near the sideline and sent a looping ball forward about 50 yards to a charging Kissel, who headed it off a dive.
He shook off Marshall captain Alex Bamford and charged in alone, but was challenged by Janjic at the corner of the penalty area. A composed Kissel struck to the left, tripping the goalkeeper and firing the championship winner into the goal with his left foot.
“There is no Cinderella. There is no outsider. It’s not luck or whatever,” said Kissel, a junior who transferred to Division 2 Bridgeport after two seasons. “It is will. It's skill. And it’s talent.”
It was the ninth championship game in the 21st century to be decided by extra time or a penalty shootout.
“I’m just so proud to be the coach of this team. To be able to represent our state,” Dow said before being interrupted by a celebratory dousing from his players. “The best.”
“It was really difficult. For all. But the best things in life are also the hardest things.”
