DECATUR, Ala. - No. 2-seed Lee (Tenn.) recorded its fifth-consecutive shutout of the NAIA Women's Soccer National Championship to defeat unseeded Point Loma Nazarene (Calif.), 2-0, in Decatur, Ala. The Lady Flames scored two goals in the first half and played solid defense the rest of the way to win their second consecutive National Championship.
Lee (21-2-1) took the early advantage in the 14th minute when senior Marina Lima found Lauren Good in the box. Good sidestepped the Sea Lion keeper Tiffany Kracy to poke the ball in to the net, for a 1-0 lead. Later in the half, National Player of the Year, Christiane Christensen took a long pass through the Point Loma Nazarene defense from sophomore Jamie Achten and beat the keeper with a ball to the far post. Lee carried the 2-0 lead into halftime and shut out Point Loma Nazarene (15-5-4) the rest of the way.
Lee head coach Matt Yelton on the Lady Flames back-to-back National Championships. "It puts us in a place in NAIA history. I think only four other teams have ever won back-to-back titles in women's soccer and to be the fifth is something special and puts our program up there with some of the great ones in the NAIA."
Point Loma Nazarene out shot the Lady Flames 12-11 on the match and held a 7-3 advantage in shots on goal. The difference in the match was the Lee offense, which put two of those three shots in to the net. Lee's freshman keeper Leah Wilson, who recorded seven saves in the match, held the Sea Lion's offense at bay throughout the match.
"[Wilson] hasn't given a goal up in the entire tournament, I don't think she has given up a goal in 11 or 12 games," said Yelton. "She has been fantastic for us all season long. [She] comes in for us as a freshman, has a huge responsibility and does the job for us."
Lee senior forward Christiane Christensen was named the championship's Most Valuable Player after the match.
"Chris is a fantastic player and is unlike any other player I have ever had in the history of this program, because she does it all," said Yelton. "She is the most complete player I have ever coached, she can attack, she can set up goals, she can score goals and she defends from the front. In my opinion she is not only the best player in the country, but the hardest working player in the country."
Point Loma Nazarene's Kracy and Katie Pedlowe were named to the All-Tournament Team. Lee's All-Tournament Team members were Christensen, Achten, Lima and Linn Christensen.
2009 NAIA Women's Soccer National Championship All-Tournament Team
Player Institution
Jessica Ramback Concordia (Ore.)
Theresa Broad Azusa Pacific (Calif.)
Christiane Christensen Lee (Tenn.)
Katie Pedlowe Point Loma Nazarene (Calif.)
Marina Lima Lee (Tenn.)
Jamie Achten Lee (Tenn.)
Fabiola Zanella da Silva California Baptist
Lauren Lane Azusa Pacific (Calif.)
Linn Christensen Lee (Tenn.)
Brittany Orr Concordia (Ore.)
Patricia Nielsen Lindsey Wilson (Ky.)
Katie Rorabaugh Azusa Pacific (Calif.)
Tiffany Kracy Point Loma Nazarene (Calif.)
Most Valuable Player - Christiane Christensen, Lee (Tenn.)
Offensive Most Valuable Player - Jamie Achten, Lee (Tenn.)
Defensive Most Valuable Player - Tiffany Kracy, Point Loma Nazarene (Calif.)
Brine-Champion of Character Award Winner - Amanda Rowand, Point Loma Nazarene (Calif.)
