Pensacola, FL — Our Lady Eagles secured their fourth Regional Championship over the last five years in a closely contested matchup with Trinity College (FL), winning 75-70. With the win, the team earned an automatic bid to the NCCAA National Tournament in Greenville, SC on March 6-10.

"All of our hard work this season payed off today." Head Coach Jared Sellars continued, "Our motto all year has been to play smart, hard, and together. These girls' battled through adversity this year and were rewarded with a regional title."

The Lady Eagles struggled to score the ball in the opening minutes of today's ball game. The Tigers, led by guard Tyra Thomas who finished with 29 points, were able to build an early lead over the Lady Eagles in the 1st quarter. Tyra Thomas would go on to score eight of her game high 29 points in the 1st quarter. The Lady Eagles would head into the 2nd quarter trailing Trinity College (FL) 18-12.

In the 2nd quarter, the Lady Eagles began to turn things around. The team would open the quarter on a 17-3 run to regain the lead. Haley Sailors again stepped up for this Lady Eagles basketball team. Her five points in the 2nd quarter helped spark the Lady Eagles. Back-to-back three pointers by Joy Smith and Hope Baker to end the 2^nd quarter helped the Lady Eagles take a 37-34 lead into the half.

Asked what he told the players at the half, Head Coach Jared Sellars responded, "We told them that we couldn't play soft in the 2nd half. We wanted them to believe that this was their game to lose and to fight for it!"

Entering the 3rd quarter of action, the Lady Eagles looked to continue their stretch of strong play. Joy Smith and Jessica Boyd would again hit back-to-back three pointers to widen their team's lead. The pair would go on to contribute 21 of the Lady Eagles 26 points in the 3rd quarter. Led by the strong performances of Smith and Boyd, the Lady Eagles widened their lead to seven points and went into the 4th quarter on the verge of their 4th regional championship in five years.

In the 4th quarter, Marlee Moore helped the Lady Eagles seal the deal. Trinity College was able to hang around throughout the entirety of the 4th quarter, but the Lady Eagles would prove to be too much for the #3 seeded Tigers. Joy Smith was fouled with 8 seconds remaining and went to the line with a chance to put the game on ice. She calmly sank both free throws, ending any hope that Trinity College (FL) had of securing a victory. The Lady Eagles would go on to win the closely contested matchup 75-70.

"Our goal this year was to win the regional championship," Head Coach Jared Sellars said after the game. "We accomplished that goal, but we are hungry for more. These girls are focused and we are ready to go compete for a national title in a couple of weeks."

Joy Smith led the Lady Eagles with 25 points and 11 rebounds in the ball game. She was one of four Lady Eagles who scored in double-digits–Smith (25), Boyd (14), Sailors (10), and Moore (10). The Lady Eagles shot 30% from the floor and buried 11 three-pointers in the game.

With the win, the Lady Eagles advance to their 5th straight NCCAA National Tournament. The #2 ranked Lady Eagles hope to secure a high seed in the upcoming tournament. The team heads into national riding a nine game winning streak with a 19-10 record overall. Stay tuned to pcceagles.com for more info on the Lady Eagles as they prepare for the national tournament.