BLAINE, Minn. - Another professional sports team in Minnesota won a championship, and it's not the Twins, Timberwolves, Vikings or Wild.
Over the weekend, the Minnesota Stars claimed the North American Soccer League (NASL) crown with a with a 3-1 total goals victory over Fort Lauderdale, joining the Lynx as Minnesota teams with championships this fall. The Lynx won the WNBA title in early October.
The Stars won the first leg of the two-game championship series 3-1 at National Sports Center in Blaine on October 22. The second game between the Stars and Strikers last Saturday ended in a 0-0 tie, giving the Stars the total-goal win and the Soccer Bowl trophy.
"They threw a lot at us and pushed us hard, and it was a challenge for us to hold onto the ball," Stars head coach Manny Lagos said. "Our commitment to defend for 90 minutes was outstanding and encapsulated what our team is all about."
What makes the win even more impressive is the Stars were a sixth seed heading into the NASL championship. The team knocked off the number one seeded Carolina Railhawks before advancing to the title games against the Fort Lauderdale Strikers.
"I would say we were underdogs and here we sit a month later, we've won the championship," Stars CEO Djorn Buchholz said. "It's been a very exciting story."
Stars fans are encouraged to attend a championship celebration at Brit's Pub in downtown Minneapolis starting at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, November 1.
The league titles by the Lynx and Stars were the first professional championships by a Minnesota team since the Twins beat the Atlanta Braves in the 1991 World Series.
(Copyright 2011 by KARE. All Rights Reserved.)