PITTSBURGH, Pa. – The Lee women's soccer team's historic season will culminate this week in the NCAA D2 Women's Soccer Final Four from Pittsburgh, Pa.
 
The improbable run to the national semifinals has seen the Lady Flames knock off No. 2 West Florida and No. 3 Columbus State. Both teams came into the postseason undefeated.
 
Chris Hennessey's ladies will once again attempt to be giant killers as they square off with the nation's top team and another undefeated powerhouse in Grand Valley State (24-0-1) on Thursday evening at 8 p.m.
 
After claiming the program's first South Region title on Nov. 16 in a 2-1 overtime win over conference rival, Mississippi College the Lady Flames took down No. 3 Columbus State at the Lee Soccer Field on Nov. 18.
 
Lauren Weimer headed home the decisive goal and Taylor Green made clutch save after clutch save to continue a magical run for Lady Flames as it knocked off the previously unbeaten Cougars 1-0 on Sunday afternoon at the Lee Soccer Field to punch its ticket to the Final Four.
 
The Lakers are headed back to the semifinals after a 6-1 beat down of the defending National Champions Central Missouri Jennies in the NCAA Quarterfinal match on Nov. 18. The Lakers avenged their season-ending loss to the Jennies from a year ago to advance to a ninth Final Four appearance in the last ten years.
 
While Grand Valley is a perennial powerhouse and winners of three-straight NCAA National Titles from 2013-2015 the Lee women's soccer team's early success since joining the NCAA won't come as a surprise to those close to the program.
 
The Lady Flames won an unprecedented four-straight NAIA National Championships from 2008-2011 and have qualified for the NCAA National Tournament in all four years of postseason eligibility since becoming official member of the NCAA in 2015.
 
While Hennessey's club features seven sophomores or freshmen in their starting lineup the young Lady Flames have grown up quickly. The mix of youth and experience has been evident in the national tournament with game winning goals being scored by Avery Engels (freshman), Mia Hollingsworth (senior), Lauren Peters (senior) and Weimer (freshman).
 
HENNESSEY'S THOUGHTS
"The team is very excited to experience the final four for the first time. I don't think anyone can doubt that our past four games have been against very tough opponents. The attitude and character to keep going during the NCAA Tournament has given the team a lot of belief.  Grand Valley is probably the most well-known team at this level. The have a rich tradition of winning national championships, but I know the team will give their best effort. They are powerful, very physical and keep the ball well so we have to find a way to disrupt what they do.   I believe they are the only undefeated team left in the country, so it shows you just how dominating they have been.  It has been nice to have a week to rest physically and mentally. Training has been good the past few days, I think the girls are now just ready to go out and play. We look forward to the challenge and to be a part of the national championship atmosphere in Pittsburgh."
 
LEE BY THE NUMBERS

• Lee is 17-6-1 on the year.
• The Lady Flames were 1-3-1 in overtime before the postseason began. With their three sudden victory wins in the first three rounds of the playoffs they are now 4-3-1 in overtime.
• Their lone tie came in the first game of the year in the game against Rollins that ended in a 2-2 tie on 8.30.
• The Lady Flames tied for 13^th in the nation in total goals with 58 this season.
• The Lady Flames have outscored opponents 58-25 on the year.
• Mia Hollingsworth is 38^th in the nation in goals with 14.
• Hollingsworth also has six assists on the year to put her 43^rd in the nation in points with 34 on the year.
• Hollingsworth is 51^st in the nation with four game winning goals this year.
• Kelsey Yoder has 10 goals and one assist to record 21 points to be the next highest on the team.
• Taylor Green leads the nation in goalie minutes played with 2255:25 in net for the Lady Flames.
• Green is 26^th in the nation in total saves with 110. Green has stopped 81.5% of the shots she has faced and has recorded 4.58 saves per game while allowing just under one goal a game (0.998).
• Hollingsworth recorded a hat trick all the way back in the Lady Flames 3-1 win over Trevecca Nazarene on 9.3 in Lee's second game of the season.
• The highest goal total for the Lady Flames this year came in a 7-2 win over Auburn Montgomery back on Sept. 21.
• Chris Hennessey is in his fourth season as head coach of the Lee women's soccer program. He holds an overall record of 59-18-9 and has guided the Lady Flames to a 2017 GSC Championship and a 2018 South Region Championship while qualifying for the NCAA Tournament in all four years.

LAKERS BY THE NUMBERS

• The Lakers are unbeaten in 25 games in 2018, racking up 24 wins and playing to a draw way back on Sept. 16 against Ashland.
• Grand Valley swept through the GLIAC tournament by outscoring their opponents 13-1 before pouring on 20 goals through the first four games of the NCAA tournament.
• No program has won more DII women's soccer titles than the Lakers, most recently pulling off a three-peat from 2013-15.
• The Lakers lead the nation with 96 goals in 25 matches.
• GVST is second in D2 in goals allowed at 8 and second in goals against average 0.31.
• Ava Cook leads the team with 21 goals and is tied for sixth in the nation.
• Goalkeeper, Jessica Radice is third with a 0.29 goals against average and has conceded just seven in 25 matches.
• Jeff Hosler enters his fifth season as head coach of the Grand Valley State women's soccer team in the fall of 2018... Hosler has led the Lakers to a pair of NCAA Championships, three NCAA title game appearances and four trips to the Elite Eight... He holds an overall record of 112-9-5.

 
WHERE TO WATCH
Fans can access live video and live stats of the NCAA D2 Women's Soccer Final Four by visiting

Stats - https://www.ncaa.com/game/soccer-women/d2/2018/11/29/lee-grand-valley-st
Video - https://www.ncaa.com/game/soccer-women/d2/2018/11/29/lee-grand-valley-st

To access the NCAA Fall Festival Homepage click here.
 
UP NEXT
The winner will advance to the NCAA D2 National Championship game on Saturday at 3 p.m. and take on the winner of the other semifinal match between No. 17 Bridgeport (18-4-1) and No. 6 UC-San Diego (19-2-2).
 
Lee University Women's Soccer History:

• First Year: 1992
• Program's Overall Record: 390-133-28
• National Championships: 4 (NAIA, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011)
• NCAA Appearances: 4 (2015, 2016, 2017, 2018)
  • 2015
    • First Round vs. Tampa (Florence, Ala.) L, 0-1
  • 2016
    • First Round vs. Rollins (Miami Shores, Fla.) L, 2-3 (OT)
  • 2017
    • First Round vs. Florida Tech (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) W, 2-0
    • Second Round at Nova Southeastern T, 1-1 Lee advances on PKs 3-2
    • South Region Championship vs. West Florida (Jefferson City, Tenn.) T, 1-1 West Florida advances on PKs 1-3
  • 2018
    • First Round vs. Rollins (Pensacola, Fla.) W, 2-1 (2OT)
    • Second Round at West Florida W, 1-0 (OT)
    • South Region Championship Mississippi College W, 2-1 (2OT) (Cleveland, Tenn.)
    • Elite Eight Columbus State W, 1-0 (Cleveland, Tenn.)
• Record in NCAA: 5-2-2
• South Region Championships: 1 (2018)
• Final Four Appearances: 1 (2018)