Trinity Christian College’s women’s soccer team won the National Christian College Athletic Association Division I national championship Dec. 6, defeating conference rival Judson University 3-0 in Kissimmee, Fla.
For the Trolls, it was their third NCCAA championship in school history under longtime head coach Josh Lenarz, who coached his final game that night. Lenarz is stepping down after 23 seasons to take a position with the Palos Heights, Ill., college's advancement department as director of gifts.
Trinity had tied Judson (Elgin, Ill.) twice earlier in the season, including a scoreless tie in a regional championship contest two weeks ahead of the national tournament, which Judson ultimately won in a penalty kick shootout. That resulted in the Trolls getting into the national tournament as an at-large entry.
In the four-team national tournament, Trinity accumulated enough points in wins and ties to achieve gold. The Trolls rallied from a two-goal deficit to win their first game 3-2, then needed a goal with seven minutes remaining in regulation in its second game to tie Ancaster, Ont.’s Redeemer University 2-2, setting the stage for the final contest with Judson.
Trinity scored one goal in the first half against Judson, then added two goals in a span of three minutes in the second half, putting the game out of reach for its opponent. Senior midfielder Litzy Corona, who scored in all three games in the national tournament, was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player, while three of her teammates made the all-tournament team.
The two earlier women’s soccer titles for Trinity were in 2005 and 2018.
About the Author
Greg Chandler is a freelance news correspondent for The Banner. He lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan.