BILLINGS — Sometimes, life is just more thrilling when the unexpected takes flight. That was literally the case recently for Rocky Mountain College freshman goalkeeper Matea Vernon and her teammates.
Launching a late-match punt from just inside her own goal box on Senior Day (Saturday, Oct. 26), Vernon scored the longest goal program history according to RMC Athletics when her 84th-minute punt traveled nearly the length of the field and rolled into the net.
"It took some weird, crazy bounces in the air and then rolled in, and everybody started running at me. It was so fun," Vernon recalled to MTN Sports with a giant smile.
Watch Vernon's remarkable goal and hear what she says about it:
The remarkable goal, sailing over defenders and the opposing goalkeeper’s outstretched arms before finding the net, helped propel Rocky to a 6-0 victory over Warner Pacific University.
Vernon initially didn't realize she had scored.
"I was a little confused because I thought the defender got it. But then Ash (Ashley Donahue), the center back, started running at me and I was like, oh my gosh, I scored," Vernon recalled, still smiling.
The Oregon freshman said she had never achieved such a feat – even in youth soccer. Vernon’s shutout victory also helped Rocky's women's clinch a berth in the Cascade Collegiate Conference tournament.
After closing the regular season Saturday with a 4-3 road win at Bushnell University in Eugene, OR, the Battlin’ Bears (11-3-1, 9-2-1) return to Oregon this week for rematch against Bushnell (7-5-4, 6-4-2) — this time a CCC quarterfinal Saturday at 2 p.m. MST in Medford.
Since the viral moment, Vernon said she has heard from numerous family members, friends and former club teammates celebrating her historic achievement.
Marveling at the memory, she recalled, "I was really just excited and in shock, almost. I would've never thought I could do that.”
You never know when the unexpected might take flight.
