Ohio Wesleyan University Athletics

Ohio Wesleyan 2, Greensboro 1

DELAWARE, OHIO -- Mike Campbell's goal 1:07 into the first overtime period lifted the Ohio Wesleyan men's soccer team to a 2-1 win over Greensboro (N.C.) in the NCAA Division III national championship game Sunday at Roy Rike Field on the Ohio Wesleyan campus.

Campbell took a pass from Jason Chadima along the top of the box, ran parallel to the goal line, and then unleashed a shot just beyond the reach of Pride goalkeeper Steve Larsen and into the top right corner of the goal.

"My first thought when Mike hit that was 'Oh, no!', " said Ohio Wesleyan coach Jay Martin, "because Campbell is left-footed and he hit it with his right foot. It was one of those where you say 'No, Mike, no - great shot!' "

"It takes a spectacular goal to win a national championship, and that's what they got," said Greensboro head coach Daren Powell.

The Battling Bishop defense took over from there, holding Greensboro without a shot for the first 24 minutes of overtime. Greensboro's first shot in the extra sessions was a direct kick by Richard Ronemus from 25 yards, which sailed high and wide right.

That was the best chance Greensboro had in overtime, as the Pride got off just two shots overall, none on goal, in the final 30 minutes.

Ohio Wesleyan jumped on top early, taking a 1-0 lead 12:45 into the game. The Bishops had a corner kick broken up by a Pride defender, but Chadima controlled the loose ball and sent it across to Jon Van Horn, who headed it into the left side of the net.

The Bishop defense played well during the first half but nearly allowed the tying goal on a fluke play. Ohio Wesleyan back Trever Smith attempted to clear the ball out of the box, but his pass hit Greensboro forward Brandon Overby in the face and caromed directly over the Ohio Wesleyan goal.

Pride forward Ryan Johnson nearly tied the game in the closing minutes of the half, but his shot bounced off the crossbar and was cleared by the Bishop defense.

Ohio Wesleyan came out on the attack in the second half and came close to adding a pair of insurance goals. Five minutes into the half, Campbell took a through ball and had an opening on the left side, but his shot caromed off the left post and out of the box. Van Horn had another header from point blank range just five minutes later, but Larsen was there for the save.

The Bishops' best chance came with 16 minutes left, when Chadima sent the ball across to Greg Aiello near the right post, but his shot hit the post and was cleared.

Greensboro's best chances were Richard Ronemus' direct kick with 27 minutes left, which Bishop keeper Jonathan Barth saved, and Ronemus' shot off a Carlton Mack feed that was just wide right with about 12 minutes to play.

It was another Ohio Wesleyan attack that set up the tying goal for Greensboro. Campbell ran the ball into the box but was smothered by Larsen, who came out to challenge the play and took the ball off Campbell's feet. Larsen's punt, aided by a 15-mph breeze, sailed about three-fourths the length of the field and took a high bounce. Mack beat Bishop back Philip Hoffman to the ball and tipped it into the goal with 8:51 left in regulation time.

"It was a great ball from their goalie," Barth said. "(Mack) got to the ball first and tipped it over me. It was a bang-bang kind of play."

"I thought we showed tremendous heart right after they scored," Martin said. "That would have been the perfect time to cave in, and we've had so many bad things happen in previous Final Fours that I'm sure the whole crowd was saying 'Here we go again.' "

The Bishops didn't cave, but had all they could handle in holding off the rejuvenated Pride, who continued to attack the Ohio Wesleyan goal. Jabari Richardson led a three-on-one break with two minutes left, but his shot was high and wide, then Mack's header off a corner kick with :44 to play was wide left.

Ohio Wesleyan seized the momentum back with its goal early in the overtime, and the Bishops held on to claim their first national championship in men's soccer and the school's second overall.

The Battling Bishops wound up with a 22-17 edge in shots. Larsen stopped 11 shots in the Pride goal, while Barth had 5 saves in the Ohio Wesleyan goal.

 "It's a hell of a way to go out," said Chadima, who played perhaps the best game of his career in his last game in an Ohio Wesleyan uniform. "The guys really wanted to win this one for Jay."

 "This isn't the best team we've had in terms of individual talent," Martin said, "but over the past four weeks, this has been the best team I've had. We've had so many teams that came so close, and we told these guys to win it for them as well as themselves."