Uniontown, PA – Following the Concordia College Alabama Men's national championship victory earlier in the day, the Lady Hornets followed suit – beating the Berea College Mountaineers (21-7) for 2017 Women's Division I National Championship. The Lady Hornets (25-4) led much of the game, but used a late third quarter surge and strong fourth quarter to close out the Lady Mountaineers 70-59 and secure a second straight National Championship.
Freshman guard Traniya Pitts earned tournament Most Valuable Player and scored 21 points in the second half to lead the Hornets to a come-from behind victory. The Mountaineers began the game shooting 33.3% from the field and using 4 3-pointers from Jamie Roberts to gain an early 17-10 lead. Berea's zone defense packed the paint, forcing five Concordia turnovers in the first quarter. Berea held serve in the second quarter and headed to the locker room with a six-point advantage.
However, in similar fashion to the men's championship game, the Lady Hornets made adjustment's and outscored the Mountaineers by seven points to enter the fourth quarter with a one point lead 46-45. Concordia used a Pitts jump shot to ignite a 13-6 run to end the quarter. Still, hot shooting from Berea's Roberts' kept Berea in the game. The All-Tournament Team member had three buckets from beyond the arc to keep Concordia from pulling away. Roberts led all scorers in the game with 24 points.
In the fourth quarter, Concordia continued its strong team defense; holding Berea to just 2-14 shooting from the field. Berea's 10-12 free throws in the fourth quarter kept the game relatively close. At the 2:18 mark, Berea's All-American guard Bethany Williams drained two free throws to get her team within 4 points at 59-55. On the next possession, Concordia's Pitts came down and sealed the game with a three pointer to secure the victory.
Concordia's Shuntavia Harris added 9 points, 7 blocks, and 2 rebounds for the Lady Hornets. Berea's Williams scored 22 points, but was just 4-16 from the field. There were six different lead changes in the game. Concordia College Alabama scored 16 points off Berea's turnovers.
Women' Division I All-Tournament Team
Maddy Valko, Rochester College
Amanda Kudick, Silver Lake College
Bethanie Williams, Berea College
Jamie Roberts, Berea College
Shauntavia Harris, Concordia College
Women's Division I Tournament MVP
Traniya Pitts, Concordia College Alabama