By Jarrod Ulrey for the Cincinati Enquirer

COLUMBUS - Trailing by one goal, the St. Ursula soccer team entered the second half determined to bounce back from subpar play in the Division I state championship game Saturday night against Strongsville in Crew Stadium.

The Mustangs then used a combination of goalkeeper Kelly Sherwood and a little luck to hang on for a 1-0 victory and their third state championship since 1998.

St. Ursula (20-2-2), which outshot Strongsville (17-1-5) 12-5 overall, had one ball bounce off the post and created numerous opportunities but failed to score the game-tying goal.

St. Ursula was going for its third state title, with the first two coming in 1991 and '93.

"I think we all played to our full potential and I do believe that we were the better team," said midfielder Heather Neiser, who is one of 13 seniors on the team and a tri-captain along with Angela Napolitano and Lauren Fader. "We had so many chances. In the second half, we just realized that it was our last 40 minutes so we decided to leave it all on the field."

Strongsville, which also beat St. Ursula for the 2002 state title, knocked in the game's only score on its first shot on goal with 9:58 remaining in the first half. The Mustangs' Kelly McConnell knocked it into the left corner of the net from about 16 yards.

There were two other Strongsville players standing in front of McConnell when she took the shot.

"There was some miscommunication between our defender and our goalkeeper," coach Danielle Newman said. "Obviously it was a great shot, but it's only the (eighth) goal we've given up all year, so I think miscommunication had something to do with it."

St. Ursula had its best scoring chance with 32:20 remaining when Caitlin Proffitt's shot hit the top of the crossbar.

With 29:50 remaining, Ashley Scheidt's shot from about 30 yards on a free kick went just over the goal.

The Bulldogs' last opportunities came with 3:36 remaining and 1:46 to go, but the Strongsville defense held both times.

"We were definitely on our toes in the last 15 minutes," Strongsville coach Jon Felton said.

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