Although the Lady Eagles dominated against Randall University last night, it appears they met their defensive match in the championship game against Arlington Baptist University.  Arlington has been the long reigning champion for five years in a row now. The Lady Eagles were unable to overtake Arlington and ended the NCCAA DII National Tournament with second place in the nation. This championship game was high intensity from beginning to end.

The Lady Eagles felt the pressure from Arlington's full court press the entire game. As Joy Smith and Lauran Alvarez would dribble up the court, Arlington had two players waiting to double team at every possible moment. Joy and Lauran utilized smart passes to fight the full court pressure. Both teams looked for every opportunity to force a turnover against their opponent. Throughout the match, the Lady Eagles had 8 steals, while Arlington had 10 steals. 

Lauran Alvarez brought her A-game off the bench and finished with 12 points and 7 rebounds. She brought the Lady Eagles a boost of energy and confidence during the 3^rd and 4^th quarters. Marlee Moore also came off the bench with a boost of energy for the team, finishing with 10 points and 3 rebounds. Joy Smith dribbled through the defensive pressure and finished with 12 points and 2 rebounds.

Although the Lady Eagles were unable to defeat Arlington, they still received 2^nd place in the NCCAA DII National Tournament!

Stay tuned to the Eagles Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for team updates for next season!