(Story courtesy of Trinity University website)
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - The top-seeded Trinity Tigers women won their third straight Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference Championship with a 4-0 shutout over the No. 3 Centre Colonels on Sunday afternoon. Box Score
Trinity, led by eighth-year head coach Lance Key, also earned a
slot in the NCAA Division III playoffs, which begin Friday, Nov.
11.
The Tigers (20-0-0), ranked third in the nation, won their sixth
SCAC title under coach Key's leadership, and the 16th overall. It
will also mark their seventh NCAA Tournament in eight years, and
17th overall. Official invitations will be issued Monday.
The six-team SCAC event was the first time since 1992 the
conference used a tournament format to determine the champion.
Senior forward Kelly Watts opened the scoring in the 19th minute,
with an assist from first-year midfielder Hannah Kuhl. Watts scored
the game-winning goal for the second-straight day, as she fired in
the first score in Saturday's 5-0 semifinal victory over Rhodes.
She has scored three goals this season, with two of them
game-winners.
It would be the only goal of the tightly played first half, with
Trinity holding a 6-4 edge over Centre in total shots. Starting
junior goalkeeper Katie Garrett (Joshua, Texas/Joshua) registered a
save in the first half of play, and has 14 saves this season.
The second half was a different story, with the Tigers outshooting
the Colonels 13-2. Trinity led the game 19-6 in total shots, and
10-2 in shots on the mark.
First-year midfielder Emily Jorgens scored in the 55th minute,
registering her 13th goal of the campaign. Jorgens was assisted by
first-year forward Stephanie Segovia and senior All-America forward
Abby Loar.
Segovia produced her seventh assist of the season, and, along
with 23 goals, leads the Tigers with 53 points.
Loar chalked up her 18th goal of the year, in the 56th minute, on
an assist from junior midfielder Lauren Henderson. This season,
Loar has accounted for 18 goals and 11 assists, for 47 points. She
is Trinity's all-time scoring and points leader, having amassed 55
goals, 34 assists, and 144 total points.
The final touch of the game was a solo shot by sophomore forward
Shelby Guenthardt in the 89th minute of play. Guenthardt scored her
10th goal, and the Tigers recorded their 17th shutout of the
year.
First-year goalkepper Devan Osegueda played the second half and
made a save, her 10th of the season.
Last season, Trinity advanced to the NCAA playoffs and shut out
Puget Sound 2-0 in the opening round at Abilene, Texas. Eventual
NCAA champion Hardin-Simmons edged the Tigers 2-1 in the second
round.
Trinity and San Antonio Sports will co-host, for the third
straight year, the NCAA Division III Men's and Women's Soccer
Championship semifinals and finals Dec. 2-3 at Blossom Soccer
Stadium.
After the game, Director of Communications Russell Kramer caught up with both head coaches along with Trinity seniors Kelly Watts and Abby Loar.
To listen to Centre head coach Jay Hoffman, click here.
To listen to Trinity head coach Lance Key, click here.
To listen to senior forward Kelly Watts of Trinity, click here.
To listen to senior forward Abby Loar of Trinity, click here.