HARRISONBURG, Va. – The William & Mary men's soccer team rallied from a halftime deficit with four second-half goals on the way to the program's eighth Colonial Athletic Association Championship, 4-2, over UNCW on Sunday afternoon at Sentara Park. Sophomore Julian Ngoh scored the equalizer early in the final 45 minutes, and junior Antonio Bustamante recorded his second hat trick in the three CAA Tournament games with the final three Tribe goals of the game over a 12-minute stretch.
 
W&M (11-4-5) won the CAA title for the first time since 2010. The Tribe, which extended its unbeaten streak to 10 matches, added to its collection of CAA crowns from 1983, 1987, 1995, 1996, 1999, 2000 and 2010. Bustamante was named the Most Outstanding Performer of the CAA Championship, scoring seven goals over the three games. Senior Riley Spain and juniors Remi Frost and Ryder Bell were named to the CAA All-Tournament Team.
 
Trailing 1-0 at the break, W&M wasted little time pulling even as Ngoh buried a shot from the top of the box in the 54th minute. Sophomore Hristo Bustamante and Bell set up the play as Bustamante's throw-in found the head of Bell, who nodded it down to Ngoh at the top of the box. The sophomore reserve cut center and ripped a shot under UNCW goalkeeper Ryan Cretens.
 
W&M moved in front thanks to the All-CAA First Team combo of Bell and Bustamante in the 66th minute. Bell made an impressive run into the right side of the box. The junior cut back to the left, before finding Bustamante inside the six. The CAA Player of the Year collected off a deflection and finished into the left side of the goal to put the Green and Gold on top for good.
 
Bustamante added the insurance as well with a pair of goals to push the margin to 4-1 with two minutes a part. Junior Graham Guidry took the ball away from the UNCW defense in the 76th minute, before centering a pass to a wide-open Bustamante, who finished into the left side of the net. In the 78th minute, senior William Eskay slotted a pass back to Bustamante at the top of the box, and his low liner found the back of the net.
 
The Tribe awaits its destination in the NCAA Tournament with the NCAA Men's Soccer Selection Show on Monday at 1 p.m. The show will be streamed online at NCAA.com.
 
W&M Starters – #26 Breno (GK), #4 Frost, #5 Golan, #8 Fuquene, #10 Bustamante, A., #11 Bell, #12 Berry, #14 Eskay, #16 Bustamante, H., #21 Trott, #23 Spain
 
UNCW Starters – #1 Cretens (GK), #2 Lindstrom, #3 Gracia, #4 Bylander, #9 Moncada, #10 Goodrum, #12 Ekdal, #13 Kromer, #14 Smith, #16 Elveroth, #24 Nally
 
Scoring Summary
24' – UNCW – Julio Moncada (unassisted)
54' – W&M – Julian Ngoh (Ryder Bell and Hristo Bustamante)
66' – W&M – Antonio Bustamante (Ryder Bell)
76' – W&M – Antonio Bustamante (Graham Guidry)
78' – W&M – Antonio Bustamante (William Eskay)
90' – UNCW – Matt Gianfortone (unassisted)
 
Inside the Numbers
- The Tribe outshot UNCW, 13-8, on the afternoon, including 9-5 in the decisive second-half. W&M scored on all four of its chances on goal.
- The Green and Gold equaled a season-high with four goals. The four markers are tied for the most in a CAA Championship game with W&M's title winning teams in 1999, 2000 and 2010.
- Junior Antonio Bustamante took a game-high four shots, scoring on all three attempts on goal.
- W&M is the first No. 5 seed since 2008 (George Mason) to win the CAA Championship. The Green and Gold also won a CAA title in 1999 as the No. 5 seed.
- By earning the CAA's automatic bid, the Tribe makes its 16th NCAA Championship appearance and fourth under head coach Chris Norris.
 
Notes
Junior Antonio Bustamante recorded his second hat trick in the last three games … The last time W&M won a CAA Championship in 2010, Nicolas Abrigo recorded a hat trick in the title match against Hofstra … Bustamante is the sixth Tribe player to be named the CAA's Most Outstanding Performer, joining Paul Grafer (1995), Steve Jolley (1996), Brian Hinkey (1999), Justin Smiley (2000) and Nicolas Abrigo (2010) … The Tribe's 10-match unbeaten streak (7-0-3) is its longest since a school-record 18-game streak in 1996 … Bustamante increased his goal total to 15 and point total to 35 on the season … His 35 points are eighth in W&M history and the most since Carlos Garcia (38) in 2001 … His 15 goals are tied for fifth in W&M history and the most since Waughn Hughes (24) in 1996 … Bustamante notched his 30th career goal in the win … Junior Ryder Bell increased his assist total to 10 with the two in the CAA Championship match … His 10 assists on the year are the most for a W&M player since Andrew Hoxie had 12 in 2009 … Sophomore Julian Ngoh scored his second goal of the season … Junior Graham Guidry tallied his first collegiate assist on the Tribe's third goal … Senior William Eskay recorded his sixth assist of the season and 20th of his career, while sophomore Hristo Bustamante added his third … W&M improved to 7-6 in CAA Championship Games … The Green and Gold improved to 35-6-5 vs. UNCW and 5-0 against the Seahawks in CAA Tournament … The Tribe improved to 8-3 in the CAA Tournament as a No. 5 seed, winning its second league crown (1999) as the seed … W&M is 6-4 all-time against the No. 2 seed in the CAA Championship and 32-16-1 all-time in the event.