BY SCOTT FRENCH
Senior Editor
in Austin, Texas

Christine Sinclair scored two goals Sunday, including the overtime winner in the 104th minute, as Portland claimed its first NCAA Division I women's soccer title with a stirring 2-1 triumph over archrival Santa Clara in the rain at the University of Texas.

Sinclair, selected the College Cup's offensive MVP, tallied from long range and up close as the Pilots (19-4-3) took advantage of defending champion Santa Clara's errors to claim an all-West Coast Conference showdown before 10,027 at Mike A. Myers Stadium, a clash that was, for the most part, as good as advertised.

The Canadian national-teamer netted her NCAA-record ninth and 10th goals of the tournament and upped her season total to 26, tied for the best mark in Division I with North Texas' Marilyn Marin.

The winner came from a superb cross by left back Kristen Moore, who picked off a cross-field pass by Devvyn Hawkins meant for freshman Micaela Esquivel, who was caught waiting for the ball to arrive when Moore raced past.

The Pilot sophomore led Esquivel on a chase down the left wing, then sent a ball near the top of the 6-yard box for Sinclair, whose sharp volley caught Santa Clara goalkeeper Alyssa Sobolik in the chest and spilled over to and off the right post.

Sobolik thrashed around to get the ball, which got past her, and Sinclair tapped it in off the goal line.

''I was breathless,'' said Portland coach Clive Charles, who captured his first NCAA title in his seventh final four and second final. ''I was sitting there in overtime dreading penalty kicks, and all of a sudden there's a break, and the ball ended up to the right person. Everything was a blur. It was like a 10-ton weight lifted off my shoulders.''

''To be honest,'' said Santa Clara coach Jerry Smith, whose team won the regular-season meeting in a match Sinclair missed, ''I couldn't be happier for Clive. If we can't be the national champions, I would want my good friend Clive Charles and Portland to be champions. … It's too bad it had to be against us, but it's long-deserved.''

The Pilots had to overcome a 1-0 deficit and weather a flurries of Santa Clara chances, most coming from dead-ball situations. Chardonnay Poole nearly pocketed a looping header off an Aly Wagner corner kick in the 68th minute, and Portland goalkeeper Lauren Arase had to make three superb saves early in the extra period to keep the game going.

Wagner nearly fired the Broncos (20-5-1) ahead in the 93rd, weaving past Moore, Lauren Orlandos and Lindsey Huie before firing to the lower right; Leslie Osborne, the best player on the field, ripped a shot to the upper-left that Arase slapped away a minute later.

Arase's third overtime stop, from an Osborne header off a Wagner corner in the 95th minute, was accompanied by a knee to the head. Poole, diving in to connect with a loose ball, struck a prone Arase, who was helped off the field and taken to a nearby hospital for tests.

The break while Arase was receiving medical attention slowed Santa Clara's momentum, and the Pilots had the better of play the final six minutes leading to the goal.

Portland was the better side in a first half played largely between the boxes, but Santa Clara came out with greater urgency after halftime, and the result was a tremendous second half.

The Broncos struck in the 53rd minute, off a Wagner corner kick from the right. Osborne headed the ball to Kristi Candau, whose header was halted by Arase. Poole, on the ground in the goalmouth scrum, got her foot to the rebound, which struck the bottom of the crossbar and caromed out.

Hawkins, at the edge of the 6, booted home the rebound.

The advantage lasted eight minutes; Sinclair scored on a speculative ball from the left that skipped off the wet turf, past an inexplicably stationary Sobolik and just inside the far post.

It was a superb shot, but one Sobolik, with the least effort, should have stopped. Sinclair received a ball to the left of the Broncos' penalty area and fended off a challenge from Jessica Ballweg, the College Cup's defensive MVP. The sophomore striker circled back, taking the ball about 16 yards from the end line before lofting the ball from several yards outside the box.

It bounced twice through the center of the area, finding the net with the third bounce.

''It surprised me,'' said Sobolik, who thought the ball was heading wide. ''But I still should have gone for it.''

The Broncos nearly went ahead just after the television-mandated break midway through the second half. Poole, at the near post, perhaps 6 yards out, got her head to a Wagner corner kick, redirecting it toward the far post. The ball struck the post, bounced down and partially crossed the goal line before Arase swatted it out.

Portland had a similar chance in the 82nd minute, but Orlandos' header from Huie's corner kick sailed just wide of the far post.

Huie was key in midfield for Portland, constantly providing probing runs and passes while trying to penetrate into the Broncos' box. Ballweg was a strong in the back for Santa Clara, and left back Lana Bowen finished a fine College Cup with a strong performance.

Wagner, not at her best in the semifinal win over North Carolina nor in the first half of the final, was pivotal as Santa Clara possessed and created better in the second half. The wet conditions helped neutralize semifinal hero Veronica Zepeda, who had little impact.

Osborne, who somehow was left off the 11-player All-College Cup team, was superb throughout, whether shutting down Portland in midfield, distributing after winning balls, linking with the attack, or trying to finish. Hawkins closed her college career with a fine showing in midfield.

Portland had lost in overtime in its previous title-game appearance, falling to Notre Dame in 1995.

COLLEGE CUP ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM
Goalkeeper: Lauren Arase (Portland), sr.

Defenders: Jessica Ballweg (Santa Clara), soph.; Lauren Orlandos (Portland), sr.; Catherine Reddick (North Carolina), jr.

Midfielders:Devvyn Hawkins (Santa Clara), sr.; Joanna Lohman (Penn State), jr.; Erin Misaki (Portland), sr.; Lindsay Tarpley (North Carolina), fr.; Aly Wagner (Santa Clara), sr.

Forwards: Christine Sinclair (Portland), soph.; Veronica Zepeda (Santa Clara), jr.

Offensive MVP: Christine Sinclair (Portland)
Defensive MVP: Jessica Ballweg (Santa Clara)

COLLEGE WOMEN'S DIVISION I NATIONAL CHAMPIONS

AIAW
 1980 — Cortland State
1981 — North Carolina

NCAA
1982 — North Carolina
1983 — North Carolina
1984 — North Carolina
1985 — George Mason
1986 — North Carolina
1987 — North Carolina
1988 — North Carolina
1989 — North Carolina
1990 — North Carolina
1991 — North Carolina
1992 — North Carolina
1993 — North Carolina
1994 — North Carolina
1995 — Notre Dame
1996 — North Carolina
1997 — North Carolina
1998 — Florida
1999 — North Carolina
2000 — North Carolina
2001 — Santa Clara
2002 — Portland