MELBOURNE, Fla. - The ninth-seeded Harford women's soccer team claimed a 3-2 victory in the opener of the 2014 NJCAA Division I National Championships over No. 4 Otero on Monday. Sophomores Nicole Wojcik and Karley Bush were again key in the playoff victory.

Wojcik and Bush teamed up for the game winning goal in the Region XX Championship and the District L Championship earlier this month. On Monday, it happened again, just in reverse, as Bush sent a long pass over the top to Wojcik, who broke free from a pair of defenders. The midfielder beat the keeper with a strike to the lower back corner to break a 2-2 tie in the 86th minute.

"I was thinking we need to score this," Wojcik said. "I saw the goalie come out, slid it across and was hoping it didn't hit the post like my first one and it went in."

Wojcik helped start the scoring for the Fighting Owls on another breakaway in the 18th minute. Her strike deflected off a diving goalkeeper's hands and to a waiting Bush, who fired the rebound in for a 1-0 lead. The game was tied at the half after Otero's leading scorer, McKenna Schmitt, netted the equalizer in the 29th minute. The Rattlers had a few chances to take a lead into the break, but Ashley King made a strong save and then counted her blessings as a shot trickled just outside the far post with under a minute remaining in the opening stanza.

Schmitt struck again, however, in the 51st minute to give Otero a short-lived 2-1 lead. Bush worked her magic just three minutes later after receiving a dandy of a cross from sophomore Morgan Kaseman. Kaseman was close to the near sideline but lofted the ball over the entire Rattlers team and the region's leading scorer deflected it back to the near post for a nifty equalizer.

The game looked to be heading to a 2-2 draw in the Pool D opener before Bush found Wojcik. In Pool Play, there is now overtime or penalty kicks. With the win, Harford takes the lead in Pool D and can now advance to Friday's Semifinal Round with a victory over No. 5 Navarro on Tuesday at 1 p.m.

Fighting Owl fans can follow the team in Florida by checking out the National Championship Central Page for Highlights, Videos and Photo Galleries. To watch Tuesday's contest, click here.