Men's soccer rallies for 8th CAA championship
CAA champs: By earning the CAA's automatic bid, the Tribe makes its 16th NCAA Championship appearance and fourth under head coach Chris Norris. Photo courtesy of Tribe Athletics
The William & Mary men's soccer team rallied from a halftime deficit with four second-half goals on the way to the program's eighth Colonial Athletic Association Championship, 4-2, over UNCW on Sunday afternoon at Sentara Park.
Julian Ngoh '20 scored the equalizer early in the final 45 minutes, and Antonio Bustamante '19 recorded his second hat trick in the three CAA Tournament games with the final three Tribe goals of the game over a 12-minute stretch.
W&M (11-4-5) won the CAA title for the first time since 2010. The Tribe, which extended its unbeaten streak to 10 matches, added to its collection of CAA crowns from 1983, 1987, 1995, 1996, 1999, 2000 and 2010. Bustamante was named the Most Outstanding Performer of the CAA Championship, scoring seven goals over the three games. Riley Spain '18, Remi Frost '19 and Ryder Bell '19 were named to the CAA All-Tournament Team.
Trailing 1-0 at the break, W&M wasted little time pulling even as Ngoh buried a shot from the top of the box in the 54th minute. Marcel Berry '19 and Bell set up the play as Berry's throw-in found the head of Bell, who nodded it down to Ngoh at the top of the box. The sophomore reserve cut center and ripped a shot under UNCW goalkeeper Ryan Cretens.
W&M moved in front thanks to the All-CAA First Team combo of Bell and Bustamante in the 66th minute. Bell made an impressive run into the right side of the box. The junior cut back to the left, before finding Bustamante inside the six. The CAA Player of the Year collected off a deflection and finished into the left side of the goal to put the green and gold on top for good.
Bustamante added the insurance as well with a pair of goals to push the margin to 4-1 with two minutes apart. Graham Guidry '19 took the ball away from the UNCW defense in the 76th minute, before centering a pass to a wide-open Bustamante, who finished into the left side of the net. In the 78th minute, William Eskay '18 slotted a pass back to Bustamante at the top of the box, and his low liner found the back of the net.
The Tribe awaits its destination in the NCAA Tournament with the NCAA Men's Soccer Selection Show on Monday at 1 p.m. The show will be streamed online at NCAA.com.
Additional game stats may be found here.
