LEXINGTON, KY - Transylvania powered past Spalding with a dominant offensive performance, defeating the Golden Eagles 16-7 to claim the 2026 HCLC Tournament Championship.
The Pioneers used a massive second half surge to pull away, outscoring Spalding 10-3 over the final two quarters after holding a narrow 6-4 lead at halftime.
Transylvania finished with a commanding 41-16 advantage in shots and controlled possession throughout, winning the draw control battle 18-7 and forcing 25 Spalding turnovers.
Sofie Garrett and
Kaelin Truman led the offensive explosion with five goals each, combining for 10 of the Pioneers' 16 scores. Garrett also contributed 12 draw controls, helping Transylvania dominate possession.
Layla Hobbs-Powell added three goals and two assists, while
Avery Kirkhope tallied one goal and a game-high three assists.
Grace Bruner and
Presley Helton each found the net as part of a balanced scoring effort.
Spalding was led by Taylor Young, who recorded four goals, but the Golden Eagles were unable to keep pace with Transylvania's second-half run. In goal,
Ruby Himes earned the win with five saves, while Spalding's Whitney White made 19 saves under heavy pressure. Transylvania's efficiency showed in key moments, converting multiple man-up opportunities and capitalizing on Spalding penalties to steadily extend the lead late in the game.
Transylvania will await their NCAA destination, to be revealed during the NCAA Selection Show, on Monday, May 4
th. Stay tuned to TransySports.com for updates.
Transylvania University is a proud member of the NCAA Division III and the HCAC. To keep up to date with all of the Transylvania Athletics, check out our website at transysports.com and follow @TransySports on Instagram.
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