PITTSBURGH, Pa. -- The Barry Buccaneers scored twice in six minutes in the second half to rally past the West Chester Rams 2-1 to win the 2018 NCAA Division II National Championship at Highmark Stadium on Saturday for the team's first national title.

INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Final: #20 Barry 2, #23 West Chester 1
Records: West Chester (16-3-5), Barry (16-4-3)
All-Time Series: Barry leads 1-0-0

WHAT THEY'RE SAYING:

"It's hard to find the words right now, because I just want to explode. Credit really goes to coach Michael Been and West Chester because he's obviously put together a very stringent program. On our side of things, extremely excited and we finally exorcised some demons that were sitting around for 18 years. We had some alumni who were in that game (a 2-1 four overtime loss in the title game in 2000 to Cal State Dominguez Hills) in the stands and that's what this program is all about: family." -- Barry head coach Steve McCrath

"I was just happy to win a header. At five foot nothing, I don't really tend to do that often. The ball was going out to Fran (Greco) on the left-hand side and we've been working quite a lot in training in getting in front of the first man, so I made sure I was there. The ball came in and I just tried to direct it toward the goal and hope for the best."  -- James Kirkham on the game-tying goal

"It was a free kick. I'm not usually on them, to be honest. But I just thought, with this surface, with the weather, it's quite slippery. So I just thought that hitting the target was the most important thing. So I didn't decide where I was going to place the ball until I saw the goalie kind almost in the middle of his goal. I saw a bend around to kind of hit the target and it went in." -- Stephen Kosmala on the game-winning free kick

"No, It's not set in yet (the fact of winning a national championship like his father Cliff McCrath). It's sinking, but I think that, there was a point, where we were down, probably just a couple minutes before (James) Kirkham scored and I was thinking, 'Man, you know, Dad had to lose three of these things before he finally won one. I don't think I can do that.' And then I prayed and we scored. And I let out a primal scream, like I normally don't do. I don't think Ali Simmons, who is a massive credit to this program, was prepared for that. I'm proud and honored to be in that cathedral now. Because you are talking about a man (Cliff McCrath) who's been in 10 championship games."-- McCrath on joining his father Cliff McCrath as a national champion

SUMMARY:

• 25' - West Chester struck first on a header by Jason Pixley after a corner by Brett Miller that was eerily similar to the game-winner in the semifinal game against Cal Poly Pomona.
• 28' - Aday Gonzalez nearly knotted the game in the 28th minute as he came in behind the Rams' defense, but his shot went just wide.
• 56' - Miller was booked for the Rams after a foul on Fransicso Greco.
• 78' - Greco got loose on the left side and lifted a cross near the top of the six-yard box. James Kirkham got a head on it and flicked it past WCU keeper Will Marshall to tie the game.
• 84' - After Greco was pulled down just outside the box on the left side, Stephen Kosmala bent his free kick around the wall and into the back of the net for the game-winner.

NOTEWORTHY:

• The Bucs dominated play with 20 shots to just five for the Rams and eight corners to four.
• Marco Sordi had one save on two shots on goal.
• Marshall had three saves but allowed two goals for just the fourth time in 21 games.
• The championship was the first for the men's soccer team and the 20th in athletic department history.  
• The All-Tournament team consists of Eduardo Faria (Cal Poly Pomona), Nadeer Ghantous (Cal Poly Pomona), Raul Fierro (Fort Hays State), Alonso Rodriguez (Fort Hays State), Kyle Hoops (West Chester), Jason Pixley (West Chester), Andrew Slater (West Chester), James Kirkham (Barry), Marco Sordi (Barry), Francisco Greco (Barry), Stephen Kosmala (Barry).
• Greco was named the Most Outstanding Offensive Player of the tournament, while Kosmala earned the Most Outstanding Defensive Player award. 

ON THE HORIZON:

The Bucs will open defense of their national championship in the fall of 2019.