BRADENTON, Fla. – Michigan PDA and the Grand Rapids Crew Juniors took 120 minutes to separate themselves in the 2014 W-20 Championship presented by Nike final at IMG Academy Stadium. Michigan PDA took the honors with a 4-3 win courtesy of an Ashley Henderson goal as time expired in the second half of extra-time.

 

PDA took an early lead when Kelly Sweeney chipped a ball over the top for Madi Lewis, who sped through the center of Grand Rapids’ defense and slid the ball home to make it 1-0 in the fourth minute. Michigan’s Sweeney continued to press the attack and in the 16th minute she managed to intercept a central pass and fire off a shot, but it glanced off the crossbar and out of play.

 

Grand Rapids drew level in the 43rd minute when Gina Maddi followed up her own rebounding shot to make it 1-1. Her initial effort was pushed onto the post, but she was placed perfectly to gather the second ball and made an off-balance finish look easy.

 

PDA took the lead again in the 55th minute when Lewis took down a pass from Cassie Phillips and hit a curling shot to the far post to make it 2-1.

 

The game opened up as Crew Juniors went forward looking for the tying goal. In the 74th minute Grand Rapids was rewarded for its efforts. Crew Juniors midfielder Marti Corby took the ball from her own half and dribbled through three defenders before slipping a ball in to fellow midfielder Didi Dedvukaj, who lifted her head and sent a ball across the face of goal to forward Jordyn Ryfiak. The first shot from Ryfiak was denied with a fine save from PDA goalkeeper Caitlyn Clem, but Dedvukaj took the rebound and found Ryfiak again who put the ball in the back of the net.

 

In the 89th minute Grand Rapids thought they had the winner when Dedvukaj took a feed from Corby and hit an unstoppable shot into the right corner to make it 3-2, but PDA found a way to tie it in stoppage time.

 

Michigan sent its numbers forward to create one last chance and midfielder Joan Sieja was abled to provide it for them when she whipped in a cross to Henderson. The PDA forward went up and flicked the ball over the keeper into the net to send the game into extra time.

 

Extra time went back and forth and in the 108th minute Michigan’s Clem was forced to make two big saves to keep PDA in the game. Then, in the 118th minute of play, Henderson scored her second of the match and the championship-winning goal. Tournament MVP and PDA midfielder Lulu Haidar hit a hard cross to Henderson, who turned and finished to the near post.

 

The PDA and Crew had split wins in their two regular season matches.

 

The title is the small clubs second National Championship in just 4 years.

 

The PDA shocked the soccer world by winning a 2010 US Club Soccer National Championship in the clubs very first year.