In a dramatic finish that will be remembered for years to come, the unseeded Washington Huskies clinched the NCAA men’s soccer national championship with a thrilling golden goal. The decisive moment occurred just under two minutes into overtime when Harrison Bertos found the net, sealing a comeback victory against North Carolina State with a final score of 3-2 in Cary, North Carolina on Monday night.
This remarkable triumph marks the first national title for the Huskies (16-6-2), who defied the odds by becoming the first team in NCAA history to win six away matches during the tournament, all while defeating seeded opponents. Under the leadership of coach Jamie Clark, Washington has shown incredible resilience, having previously lost to Clemson in the finals in 2021.
The Huskies began their postseason journey with a nail-biting 3-2 victory over Oregon State, which also featured a golden goal in Corvallis, setting the tone for their determined playoff run.
North Carolina State, the No. 15 seed (16-3-4), reached the finals for the first time under head coach Marc Hubbard, aiming to secure the university's first national title since the men’s basketball team triumphed in 1983 under the legendary Jim Valvano.
The game took off with Zach Ramsey scoring unassisted just before halftime, giving Washington a crucial 1-0 lead as they headed into the break. This was particularly significant as it marked only the second occasion this season that N.C. State found themselves trailing at halftime.
Ramsey capitalized on a misplay by Wolfpack goalkeeper Logan Erb, who failed to control the ball in front of the goal, allowing Ramsey to score his second goal of the tournament into an open net. Washington extended their advantage in the 62nd minute when Richie Aman delivered a perfect cross that Joe Dale expertly converted, pushing the score to 2-0.
However, North Carolina State was not ready to give up easily. Just four minutes later, Donavan Phillip scored with an assist from Nikola Markovic, narrowing the gap to 2-1. Remarkably, the Wolfpack boasted an impressive record of 11-0-1 when Phillip found the back of the net.
As the match progressed, Taig Healy managed to equalize with less than four minutes remaining, with assists from Justin Mclean and Calem Tommy, creating a tense atmosphere as the teams headed into overtime.
Ultimately, it was Egor Akulov who assisted Bertos’ historic winning goal, sending the Huskies into celebration. In the goal for Washington, Jadon Bowton, the last remaining player from the 2021 squad, made five crucial saves throughout the match. For N.C. State, Erb put forth a strong performance with six saves, despite the loss.
With temperatures hovering around a chilly 28 degrees Fahrenheit, the match featured two teams that had never before met on the field, adding to the anticipation and excitement of this championship showdown. What a thrilling chapter in college soccer history!
