Women's Soccer wins GLCC's first-ever national championship

KISSIMMEE, Fla. - Great Lakes Christian College women's soccer are National Christian College Athletic Association DII champions.

Great Lakes defeated Arlington Baptist 2-1 in the national championship game on Saturday, ending Great Lakes' lifelong title drought.

Arlington dominated the first half, taking nine shots while preventing GLCC from getting any, Alex Cereceres scoring in the dying seconds of the half to give them a 1-0 lead at the break.

For the first 20 minutes of the second half, the game progressed in a similar fashion. Great Lakes finally started to apply some pressure, however, which paid off with an awarded penalty, which Casey Conine slotted home to tie the score.

Seven minutes later, in the 78th minute, Randi Fitzgerald made the most of her only shot of the game, scoring the goal that would put Great Lakes ahead for good.

Arlington scrambled for an equalizer and Caitlan Gonzalez almost gave it to them, but her shot in the 88th hit the crossbar and Rachel Weinclaw denied her in the 90th. Two late corners came to nothing and Great Lakes held on for their fisrt-ever title.

Arlington took 17 shots, putting eight on target. GLCC only shot four times, but crucially put two on target. Rachel Wienclaw and Katarzyna Polek both made three saves for Great Lakes.