It took more than 24 hours to complete the game, but Millburn was able to rally from a one goal deficit against Montclair in the Essex County championship game for a 2-1 win.

Perhaps the best thing that happened for the Millburn girls soccer team on Saturday at West Essex Regional High School was the bad weather. The tournament game was suspended due to rain and lightning with four-time defending Montclair holding a 1-0 and just over 31 minutes left to play.

When the Millburn girls came out the next day, as head coach Andy Sones put it, all they had been dreaming about was scoring goals and trying to figure out a way to win. So that’s what they did.

“It was very clear what we had to do. We had to score,” Sones said. “I knew that [Montclair] wasn’t going to come out and try to score. So they gave us a license to attack and we did.”

Nikki Willens got things started quickly when she took a Katie Beimfohr pass and put it in the net from 30-yards out. Taylor Perretti gave Millburn the lead on a one-timer from Shannon Foley with under seven minutes to play. Keeper Tori Graessle closed the door on Montclair with five saves during the final five minutes.

Millburn lost an earlier match to Montclair, 1-0, on Oct. 2 for the Millers’ first loss of the season. After that match, in anticipation of playing Montclair in the county finals, Sones and the girls began working on a new formation. Normally they employ a 4-4-2 formation to give them more control in the middle of the field, but against Montclair they went to a 4-3-3, adding an extra forward.

“It was crucial for us that our center-mids pass the ball,” Sones said. “Our centerfielders did a good job of dominating the game. They won every 50/50 ball.”

Millburn fell behind in the first half, on a penalty kick by Montclair’s Allie Straim.

“I was proud of them and I was pleased with them,” Sones said. “I know we can play good soccer because we have good soccer players. What I was proud of was the way we battled.”

Though Millburn has another match with Montclair on Wednesday, Sones said he is not going full throttle ahead, with his team having a very slim chance at winning the division and the state championships beginning in a little more than a week.

“Our focus is getting ready for the states. I’m not going to take any chances,” Sones said.

The county title was Millburn’s first since 2003 and is the first time any of the current players had played in a county championship game and the first time Sones coached in one.

“I don’t think it’s the win that gives them confidence,” Sones said. “It’s the knowledge that we can step up and play physically with most physical teams in the state. Knowing that we can play Montclair at their own game and win is big.”