August 2, 2009-The 2009 Women's Premier Soccer League championship match at Adelphi University's Competition Field today featured an intriguing match-up between the youthful exuberance of the Long Island Fury, whose captain and second-oldest player is 20-year-old Kelly Henderson of Baldwin, and the experience of California's Ajax America, the defending national champions, whose entire team is made up of graduates from the top college soccer programs.

Ajax certainly knew that they were in for a tight match in the 27th minute when Fury forward Vicki DiMartino of Massapequa Park crossed the ball to Bay Shore's Jasmyne Spencer, whose 10-yard shot was stuffed by Ajax keeper Brittany Cameron. Ajax had a good opportunity in the 40th minute but Lindsey Patterson's dribble got away from her on the slick Field Turf surface and wound up in the welcoming arms of Fury keeper Jillian Mastroianni of Durham, Connecticut. In first half stoppage time, Cameron made a point-blank save on a DiMartino strike and Spencer's rebound struck the leg of a Ajax defender and dribbled harmlessly over the goal line.

A scoreless match at halftime as the heavy rain subsided and turned into sunshine. It would shine on the team from the Empire State rather than the squad from sunny California, with six pro players from the Los Angeles Sol, in the second half.

When the Fury won the WPSL national championship as an expansion franchise in 2006, Rebecca Moros scored the game's only goal. The Fury needed another hero as Moros and four other Fury alumnae are currently playing in the new professional women's league, WPS. Who would step up for the Fury? It was Molly Bruh of East Williston, whose 21-yard direct kick in the 74th minute hit the upper left corner of the net. 18-year-old Bruh has been coached by Fury head coach Paul Riley since she was a four-year-old Munchkin.

Alaina Beyar had been tripped on the play that led to the direct kick.

"I just knew that if we were able to score a goal, we would win," commented Coach Riley. "Our defense was amazing. Alyssa Pember and Tara Mendoza were terrific. Young Margo McGinty played as if she was 10 years older."

The last few minutes and two minutes of stoppage time featured Ajax throwing everybody into an attack mode with keeper Cameron positioned near the halfway line but the Fury defense only allowed long shots from outside the penalty area. Each keeper had five saves as the Fury won their second national championship by a 1-0 score.

When the Fury won the title in 2006, they shut out their playoff opponents. The phrase that "defense wins championships" proved true again as the Fury shut out all five playoff opponents in 2009 and have not surrendered a goal for the last 514 minutes of play.

With seven blocked shots and aggressive defending throughout both games, Tara Mendoza of Valley Stream was named the 2009 Final Four MVP.

Six Fury players won the national championship in both 2006 and 2009: Henderson, Pember, Spencer, Alaina Beyar, Kelly Farrell and Cody Newman. The major difference between the 2006 and 2009 titles is that the Fury won all five playoff games on the road three years ago and was home for all five playoff games in 2009 in front of their enthusiastic fans.

With today's game, the new WPSL champions finished their 2009 season undefeated at 14-0-1 while Ajax finished at 15-2-1.