It was an exciting weekend for the Providence Pilots soccer teams as they battled in the NCCAA North Region Championships.

The National Christian College Athletic Association held their North Region Division II Soccer Championships this past weekend in Dubuque, Iowa. The Providence Pilots men and women traveled there to compete after dropping their recent playoff games in the Manitoba Colleges Athletic Conference.

The men came in ranked number one, but faced a tough test against Moody Bible Institute. They went down 2-1 in the second half but continued to apply pressure. With just seven minutes left, the Pilots got a penalty kick but were unable to convert. Finally, with just four minutes left, the Pilots found the back of the net to tie it up.

The game went into overtime, where the Pilots won it with just 20 seconds left in overtime, sending the team to the finals.

"We went nuts celebrating the win," said men's soccer coach Joey Passi.

The Pilots met Maranatha Baptist University in the championship game. The Pilots took an early 1-0 lead but could not get the insurance marker they desperately needed. Instead, Maranatha came back with pressure, forcing the Pilots to make an incredible save on the line with just a few minutes left. They kept it out for the rest of the game and because NCCAA Division II champions, which qualifies them for the Nationals in South Carolina.

"We held on good [and] played really good," Passi said. 

"I just remember the final seconds . . . I remember looking back and seeing just nine seconds left," said Braeden Owen, centerback for the Pilots. "When the horn went, I was just so excited and I didn't know what to do."

The Pilot women had a great tournament as well. They handily defeated Faith Baptist Bible College in the semi-finals 4-1 then had to battle the number one ranked Maranatha Baptist University.

"[It was] an emotional rollercoaster," said Tory Walker, head coach of the women's team.

With the women down 1-0 in the final minute, Pilots captain Julika Phommarath scored with only 14 seconds left to tie the game up and send it into overtime. The Pilots rode that momentum into overtime, scoring again and taking the championship match 2-1.

"It seemed like we weren't going and that we hadn't met our goal," Phommarath said. Their goal was to make it to nationals. "But then all the sudden, my teammate sends me a beautiful ball and we end up finishing it.

"I'm still smiling and I couldn't sleep the whole way back, which was 14 hours."

Both teams had set their goal to be in nationals, but Phommarath says there is extra motivation right now.

"I think part of our motivation was to go somewhere hot for a week," she laughed. "I don't like snow."

Phommarath and Owen both say the teams feel like family and they are very excited to head out to South Carolina together.

"No matter what happens at nationals, we all got each other's back," Phommarath said about both Providence teams travelling out together.

The men head into nationals ranked number six. They kick off the tournament on Wednesday, November 15. The women will begin on Friday, November 17.

All student-athletes and coaches will be participating in Christian Service Projects. The women will be serving with Piedmont Women's Center, Camp Spearhead, and American Red Cross. The men will also serve at the Red Cross, along with Harvest Hope Food Bank, Greenville Rescue Mission, and Overcomers Center.