BCC Soccer Team Advances to National Championship Tournament


November 3, 2012


November 3, 2012 - Using a first-half barrage of three goals the Brevard Community College women鈥檚 soccer team earned a berth in the NJCAA Division I National Championship Tournament with a 4-0 victory over host Pearl River Community College on Saturday in Poplarville, MS.

The victory also earned BCC the NJCAA District H title to go with the Florida College System Activities Association Southern Conference and NJCAA Region 8 crowns it earned during the regular season.

soccer team
The Lady Titans pose with their District Championship Trophy after winning Saturday, Nov. 3 on the road in Poplarville, MS.

BCC, 13-1 and ranked No. 1 in the country in the NJCAA Division I poll, joins 11 other teams from around the country in the NJCAA tournament that begins play at 9 a.m. on Nov. 12 at Melbourne Central Catholic.

The championship game will be played at 6 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 17 at MCC.

The victory also earned BCC, which is in its third season as a program, a bit of redemption after falling one goal short of qualifying for the national tournament in 2011.

Sophomore co-captain Lois Edvardsson and fellow sophomore Courtney Hueston both scored their 12th goals of the season in the first half while freshman Amanda Lodge also found the net for a 3-0 halftime lead.

Hueston, Edvardsson and Lodge also recorded first-half assists and Edvardsson assisted Sue Kumaning鈥檚 header seven minutes into the second half off a corner kick for the final 4-0 margin.

BCC celebrated with the District H trophy and by spray painting head coach Jeff Carr鈥檚 hair blue.

carr hair
Women's soccer coach Jeff Carr makes good on a promise to paint his hair blue if his team advances to the National Championship Tournament.

鈥淲e all remember that bus ride home (last year),鈥� Carr said. 鈥淭his is for our girls that aren鈥檛 here. Our hearts all beat as one. The team, people who haven鈥檛 usually started played, we鈥檙e getting people back at the right time.

鈥淚t鈥檚 all about the team. I am so proud of them and excited that we have the opportunity to represent Brevard. Hosting the tournament and as the tournament director I鈥檓 thrilled that we鈥檙e actually getting to play in it.鈥�

The tournament seeding should be completed by Tuesday with Brevard being the presumptive top seed based on its No. 1 ranking.

For Edvardsson, the victory meant a lot.

鈥淚鈥檝e been so confident, but to see us step out here and play with confidence, everyone played so well today,鈥� she said.

鈥淚 think nationals, the other teams have to watch out.鈥�

The victory also was sweet for sophomore Gabby Jaimes who was among the players who stepped up after BCC鈥檚 mid-season spate of injuries cost it several starters and key reserves.

鈥淚t means a lot,鈥� Jaimes said. 鈥淭his team has worked so hard. We did it for each other. Everyone, even the freshmen, we all pulled together and did this.

鈥淎fter all those injuries a lot of people had to step up. Everyone was nervous but in the end everyone showed the kind of player they could be. We鈥檙e a great team together.鈥�