NATIONAL CHAMPIONS! No. 2 Monroe College Takes Home NJCAA National Championship with 3-1 Victory ove

FOLEY, Ala., November 17, 2018 – The Monroe College Mustangs women's soccer team is the 2018 NJCAA Div. I Women's Soccer National Champion. With three straight goals, including two late in the second half, the No. 2-seed Mustangs defeated top-seeded Tyler Junior College, 3-1, at the Foley Sports Complex, to capture the Mustangs' first national crown since 2014.

Tyler got on the board in the second minute of the game, but Francesca Sullivan tied things up late in the first half. Maria Santin gave the Mustangs the lead in the 73rd minute, and then set up Angie Ponce for the Mustangs' third score with six minutes to play to put the game out of reach and earn the team's second-ever National Championship.

After an incredible tournament that does not necessarily show up on the stat sheet, Yolanda Albalat was named the NJCAA Div. I Women's Soccer Championship Tournament Offensive MVP. Alemany's stellar play throughout the week earned her Tournament Defensive MVP honors. Santin, Ponce and Alba Gonzalez were all represented Monroe College on the All-Tournament Team. Tyler did not waste any time grabbing an early lead in Saturday's championship. Tyler's Akane Takada sent a cross up from just ahead of midfield to Hitomi Kono, leading her toward the box. Marta Alemany tried to get a jump on it and came way out of the net, but she was just a hair too late, as Kono was able to control and kick it past her into the net to take a 1-0 lead at the 1:35 mark. Alemany almost got caught again, but instead flashed her brilliance in the 23rd minute. She stopped a shot right at the top of the box, but was caught on the ground, where Kono found the ball with a nearly wide-open opportunity. Instead, Alemany got up, and barely got a hand on the shot, sending it just inches wide to the right of the net to keep the Mustangs within one.