SAN ANTONIO, Texas. (Dec. 6, 2013) – It took the most unbelievable goal in the most unlikely victory of an amazing year, but after a long, floating, wind-aided shot by senior midfielder Keegan Balle (Naperville, IL/Neuqua Valley) settled in the back of the net early in overtime here Friday night, the Rutgers University-Camden men’s soccer team had written perhaps its finest chapter of a storybook season.

With a wild 3-2 victory over Loras College in the NCAA Division III semifinals, the Scarlet Raptors punched their ticket to the first national championship game in program history. Rutgers-Camden will face defending national champion Messiah College Saturday night at 6:30 p.m. (EST) for the Div. III men’s soccer title.

Messiah (23-1-1), which will be playing for its eighth national title in 11 years, blanked Williams College, 4-0, in Friday’s other semifinal game.

With 11 minutes remaining in their first-ever NCAA Division III semifinal game, the Scarlet Raptors were playing with a one-goal lead and eyeing that first trip to the championship game. Five minutes later, they were down a goal and watching the season tick down to what looked like a crushing first defeat of the year. Then, with only 2:30 remaining in regulation, the Scarlet Raptors got a second life on a huge game-tying goal by senior back Taylor McGrory (Collingswood, NJ/Sterling).

That goal set the stage for an unbelievable finish in overtime, when Balle lofted a long direct kick from near midfield that was carried by the wind right over the head of Loras senior goalie Dylan Milkent (Wheaton, IL/Glenbard South) and into the back right corner of the net. Suddenly, the game that had more twists and turns in the final minutes than a mountainside road belonged to the Scarlet Raptors.

“When I took the free kick and hit it, I tried to keep it in the frame of the goal,” said Balle, whose eighth goal of the season was his first game-winning tally. “The fact that it went in is incredible.”

The goal not only lifted the Scarlet Raptors to 23-0-2 and a program record-tying 11th straight win, but it unleashed a sea of emotions for Rutgers-Camden.

“A lot of hugs, a lot of running around…it was a special goal,” said eighth-year Head Coach Tim Oswald.

On a cold day, attacking into a stiff wind, the Scarlet Raptors notched the game’s first goal at 12:50 when senior midfielder Stevan Austino (Buena, NJ/Buena Regional) slipped a ball into the box and sophomore forward Mike Ryan (Marlton, NJ/Cherokee) tucked it inside the right post for his team-leading 22nd goal.

Playing with the wind, Loras held a 12-11 edge in shots during the first half, while Rutgers-Camden held a 2-1 lead in corner kicks. Raptor senior keeper Mike Randall (Cherry Hill, NJ/Cherry Hill East) made two first-half saves, while Milkent had six saves for the Duhawks (19-2-3).

In the second half, Loras stepped up the pressure and with approximately 12 minutes remaining, barely missed a pair of headers – one barely over the crossbar and one just to the left. The Duhawks’ pressure and massive substitutions, however, paid off with 10:17 remaining, when the Raptors couldn’t clear the ball and sophomore midfielder Richard Lenke (Mount Prospect, IL/Prospect) tucked a shot just inside the near left post. Suddenly the lead was gone and, almost as suddenly, the Raptors fell behind, 2-1. Only 4:35 after Lenke’s goal, junior Tim Van den Bergh (Nijmegen, The Netherlands/WDM Valley) scored off a cross from junior Johnny Rummelhart (Iowa City, Iowa/Regina), giving Loras the lead with only 5:42 remaining in regulation.

“The first 30 minutes they were on us,” said Loras Head Coach Dan Rothert, “but I think our system, where we play 23-24 guys wore them down. That’s our style. It’s what we do. It gives us energy.”

“It’s kind of hard when we’re playing the whole game and they sub in eight guys,” said Ryan, who watched the Duhawks get their energy with waves of talented subs.

Yet just when it seemed that Loras was going to carry that energy into the finals, Rutgers-Camden added another miracle to its season. McGrory slipped a shot from outside the right post that trickled through a mass at the goal line and barely rolled inside the net to tie the game at 2-2. His shot, assisted by fellow senior back Bobby Foster (Burlington, NJ/Burlington Township), came with only 2:30 left in regulation and was his first goal of the year.

Moments into overtime, Balle ended the game with his long, high floater into the back of the net.

“There are no answers at this point,” Rothert said. “I love every one of them. They put it all on the line tonight. There’s really no consoling at this point, especially the seniors.”

For the Scarlet Raptors, however, there’s nothing but elation as their 11th consecutive win – tying the program mark they set to open the season – meant that they earned a trip to the title game. Rutgers-Camden will bring a 37-game two-year unbeaten streak (32-0-5) into the biggest game in program history.

Loras ended with a 25-19 advantage in shots, while Rutgers-Camden held a 5-4 edge in corner kicks. Both Randall and Milkent finished with seven saves.

“It’s a great experience for our kids to be here,” said Oswald, who owns a 122-38-22 record in his eight seasons with the Scarlet Raptors. “Loras is a tremendous team. When our season was on the brink, our team stepped up.”

And with the unbelievable goal and unlikely victory, the Scarlet Raptors stepped into the championship game.