Richland edges out Delta for Division III title

CHAMPIONSHIP CENTRAL  |  PHOTO GALLERY  |  AWARDS  |  RESULTS

Rockford, IL – The Richland women's soccer team edged out Delta in a match-up of the top two seeds for Sunday's NJCAA Division III Women's Soccer Championship. The Thunderducks out-shot Delta 17-7 and were able to capitalize midway through the first half when Eva Mulligan was able to cross over a defender to square up a left-footed shot from just outside the box.

Delta presented several opportunities to equalize, especially later in the game. Richland was up to the task to preserve their 13th shutout of the season as Tournament Defensive MVP Dynastee Cain recorded four crucial saves to give the Thunderducks their fourth national championship in program history.

  • While Sunday's championship was able to be played outdoors, inclement weather pushed Friday's semifinals of the national tournament indoors.
  • Richland's Eva Mulligan recorded just her second game-winner of the season.
  • 2018 marks the second consecutive season that a team from Region 5 has taken the top prize at the national tournament. Metro Athletic Conference rival Brookhaven hoisted the trophy in 2017 after defeating Herkimer in the championship.
  • Richland head coach Scott Toups was named Coach of the Tournament.
  • The Thunderducks swept tournament superlatives; defender Miranda Ibarra was named Tournament MVP while teammates  Eva Mulligan and Dynastee Cain took Offensive and Defensive MVP honors respectively.
  • Since the establishment of an NJCAA Division III in women's soccer, there have only been three instances of a school winning both the men's and women's DIII titles in the same year. Richland owns all three occurrences of this record (2004, 2009, 2018)

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