ENGLEWOOD – Athena Lopez wasn’t necessarily looking for redemption Saturday night in the Class 3A state soccer championship game, but it came quickly and resoundingly for the Faith Christian junior.

Lopez scored a goal in the third minute of the contest to jump start the Eagles to a 2-1 victory over St. Mary’s at Pirate Field on the Englewood High School campus.

It was a much different result than the last time Lopez and Faith Christian played in the title game, back in 2006. The Eagles were attempting to win back-to-back titles, but were upset by Kent Denver in a shootout. Lopez was one of two Faith Christian freshmen to miss their penalty kick in the shootout, as the Sun Devils edged them 4-3.

But there would be no need for a shootout this time around, as Lopez and the top-seeded Eagles (14-3-2) dominated early before withstanding a frantic final few minutes to capture their second title in four seasons.

“This feels amazing,” said Lopez, who ran track instead of playing soccer as a sophomore. “This year was really fun. Hopefully we can get another one next year.”

Lopez’s goal was set up by a great forward pass from Michael Ann Karas, the championship game most valuable player. Lopez received the ball and slipped it past St. Mary’s charging keeper into the near post for a 1-0 lead in the third minute.

“Our goal every game is to score in the first five minutes,” Karas said. “Getting that goal really pumped us up and got us going.”

Karas helped the Eagles add to their lead in the 26th minute, sending a corner kick to the far post where Ariane Lukens was waiting to knock it in with her knee.

St. Mary’s, which was playing in its second consecutive title game, looked like it had notched it’s first goal a short time later, as Christina Whitelaw made a great run up the left side of the field before angling a pass behind the Faith Christian defense to Julia Saenz, who hammered it into the back of the net. But the side official ruled that Saenz was offside on the play, wiping out the score.

“I didn’t think I was off(sides) because I was on the run,” Saenz said. “But there’s nothing you can do about it now.”

The Pirates ended the first half with only one shot on goal, a long direct kick by Samantha Cardenas that was easily gobbled up by Eagles’ keeper Shelby Bartusek.

St. Mary’s (15-4-0) finally got on the board midway through the second half, getting a goal following a direct kick from 30 yards out by Samantha Cardenas. Cardenas twisted a shot from the left of the goal that skipped off Bartusek’s hands and into the net.

That put a charge into the Pirates attack, as they put a lot of pressure on Faith Christian in the waning moments of the contest. Saenz and Jenny Nagl both put shots on goal, and Whitelaw had a rocket that caromed off the cross bar in the 58th minute.

“I was definitely hoping we’d get goal,” Saenz said. “I’m not sure what happened.”

St. Mary’s 0 1 – 1

Faith Christian 2 0 – 2

Goals – F, Athena Lopez (Michael Ann Karas assist), 3rd minute; F, Ariane Lukens (Karas assist), 26th minute; SM, Samantha Cardenas, 61st minute.

Shots on goal – SM, 1-3 4; FC 5-2 7.

Saves – SM (Katie Loof) 3-2 5; FC (Shelby Bartusek) 1-2 3.

Corner kicks – SM, 2-3 5; FC, 2-2 4.

Cards – none.