COLUMBUS, Ohio – The journey is complete.
The Summit Country Day girls’ soccer team is the Division III state champion.
The Summit defeated Kirtland 4-0 Friday afternoon at MAPFRE Stadium, giving the Silver Knights its second state title in the past three years and third overall.
"I am so proud of this team, especially the seniors who set it as a goal to win the state title as a season began," said Summit coach Mike Fee. "They were focused from the first practice in August and always kept their eye on the goal that were able to accomplish today. I had to do very little to keep them focused throughout the season. This really was the best leadership I ever had in all my years as a coach."
Early goals from a pair of midfielders gave the No. 1 state-ranked Silver Knights the momentum they needed to control the remainder of the game.
Junior Colleen McIlvenna scored first (fourth minute), with senior captain Ravin Alexander finding the back of the net shortly thereafter (fifth minute). Both McIlvenna and Alexander assisted on the other's goal.
McIlvenna is verbally committed to Tennessee, while Alexander is verbally committed to Louisville.
The Summit Country Day took a 3-0 lead into the halftime locker room after Alexander headed in a corner kick for her second goal of the game and 41st of the season, with just over five minutes remaining.
With two goals Friday, Alexander joined the Ohio High School Athletic Association all-time record list for most goals in a season.
Kirtland's offense was unable to get a shot off in the first half.
The final goal of the game came 10 minutes into the second half when McIlvenna scored her second of the game, once again on an assist from Alexander. The 4-0 victory for the Silver Knights marks their 14th clean sheet of the season.
This was Kirtland's (15-5-3) first trip to the OHSAA state championship, while Summit Country Day (22-1-0) stayed undefeated in its three trips to the state finals.
The Summit won 17 consecutive games this season going back to Sept. 14.
The Summit also won state titles in 2015 and 2011 in girls’ soccer.
There are two other state girls’ soccer finals today including Indian Hill (Division II) playing at 3:30 p.m., while Loveland (Division I) plays at 7 p.m.
The Summit Country Day boys’ soccer team plays in the Division III state final at 4 p.m. Saturday in Columbus.
The OHSAA contributed information for this story.
