Bears Den Dynasty: Brookhaven Wins 3rd Consecutive National Title
GASTONIA, N.C. – Call it a Bears dynasty.
Dallas College Brookhaven women's soccer team won its third straight National Junior College Athletic Association Division III national championship, beating No. 1 Delta College, 1-0.
The Bears (15-2-1) blanked their 11th opponent of the year, ending a perfect season for the Pioneers (23-1-0). In the process, Brookhaven became the second team in NJCAA Division III history to three-peat, joining the likes of Brookdale (N.J.), which won three straight from 2013-15. It is Brookhaven's fifth national championship – all since 2017.
Sayer Taylor scored the game's only goal – an unassisted winner in the 32nd minute. It was Taylor's sixth goal of the season, and first since Oct. 10th. It was also her second gamewinning goal of the year.
Brookhaven became the first opponent to score off Delta since Grand Rapids Community College did on Sept. 20, snapping a span of 12 straight shutouts. The Bears outshot the Pioneers, 11-9, but Brookhaven goalkeeper Emma Garces faced the most shots she had all year. Garces stopped a season-high five shots in securing her fifth shutout of the season.
Following two saves by Garces in a five-minute span in the second half, the Bears, who finished with four shots on goal, had a crack at cushioning their lead when Kaitlyn Osorio's shot in the 70th minute was stopped by Pioneers keeper Tristen Cross. Cross finished with three saves.
Garces kept the clean sheet in tack in the 80th minute when she stopped a shot by Grace Sczepanski. It was the last shot she had to stop.
Brookhaven's five national titles are the most in NJCAA Division III history. The Bears have been to six national championship games.