History Made! Daytona State wins first Women's Soccer National Championship

Photo courtesy of the NJCAA
Photo courtesy of the NJCAA

WICHITA, Kan. - Shaneil Buckley's goal in the fifth minute of overtime gave Daytona State College a 2-1 victory over Arizona Western College and clinched the 2024 NJCAA Division I Women's Soccer National Championship. 

Buckley's "Golden Goal" capped an electrifying tournament debut for the Falcons, who advanced to Saturday's final by beating two-time defending champion Iowa Western Community College in penalty kicks. 

Saturday seemed destined for the same ending. 

After Daytona State's Sienna Gillespie opened the scoring with a goal in the fifth minute and the Matadors' Mariany de Souza notched the equilizer in the 33rd minute, the game was scoreless for the final 58 minutes of regulation. 

But just five minutes into the first overtime period, Gillespie delivered a perfectly placed pass to Buckley, who found the back of the net with the game-winner. 

Buckley, Gillespie and Yuna Demir were named to the All-Tournament while Gillespie was named the Most Valuable Offensive Player and goalie Julianna Trujillo, who scored the game-winner in the semifinals, was named the tournament MVP. 

The Falcons' Hope Clark was named the Coach of the Tournament.