Christendom’s men’s and women’s cross-country teams and women’s soccer team faced their biggest tests of the season this past week at the USCAA National Championship Tournaments. Both cross-country squads delivered outstanding performances, taking third place against some of the toughest competition in the nation. The women’s soccer team, entering the tournament as the #3 overall seed, came up just short in a tight 1–0 loss in pool play, concluding another impressive season.
Cross-Country
The men’s and women’s cross-country teams competed well all season, earning themselves a USCAA National Championship Tournament berth. Both teams raced with full squads for the first time since August, overcoming a challenging, hilly course to grab one of the best finishes in program history.
On the women’s side, Grace Kristine placed 20th overall with a time of 28:36 in the 6K Nationals race, followed by Jadzia Hamm with a 25th-place finish with a 29:41 time. Lilliam Mayville (30:35), Lily Bettcher (31:30), and Hannah Masterson (32:17) rounded off for the group, helping the team grab third overall.
For the men, their terrific performance earned them a third-place finish as well — just two points off the runner-up position overall. Team captain Alex Girata led the way for Christendom, grabbing a 30:25 in the 8K Nationals race. Robert Wright, after a strong freshman campaign, finished just 0.1 second behind Girata, earning both teammates USCAA Men’s All-American Team honors for their performances.
Joseph Beerer finished 24th overall with a 32:11 finish, while Thomas Cahill fought through an illness to finish in 26th place. Rounding out the pack was Thomas Cole, coming off a nearly season-ending injury to finish with a 36:06 in the 8K.
With another strong season in the books, both teams have much to look forward to as they already look ahead to next season’s campaign.
Women’s Soccer
Christendom women’s soccer team entered the USCAA National Championship Tournament ready to exceed their runner-up finish last year, entering the tournament as the #3 overall seed. They started the tournament in pool play on Saturday, taking on #6 Penn State Mont Alto in the opening match of the tournament.
The team’s speed was on full display in the first game, with Gloria Ackla quickly getting Christendom on the board with a goal by the 1:43 mark. Megan Lovar doubled that lead at the 15:33 mark, giving Christendom a strong lead going into the half. Ackla tacked on one more goal for Christendom near the start of the second half to give the team a 3-0 lead. Penn State finally broke through with a goal of its own at the 74:00 mark, but Christendom held strong the rest of the way, handing Christendom a tournament-opening win.
The team returned to the field on Sunday, with a win meaning another trip to the USCAA National Championship Game. Taking on NHTI, the team found themselves locked in a defensive battle. NHTI found the back of the net early in the first half, but, from there, both teams struggled to find scoring opportunities, with the defensive backfields playing tough, disciplined play.
Serena Keller, in another outstanding performance in goal for Christendom, kept the team within striking distance for the entire match, making ten saves. Christendom, however, was unable to break through the compact defense, ultimately falling 1-0, ending another great season for Christendom.
For more information, visit christendomathletics.com.