The women’s golf team from Grace College won the NCCAA National Championship by two strokes Wednesday afternoon. From left to right are Lucy Young, Carolyn Pacocha, Sydney Abbott, Rachel Harvey, Anna Marshall and head coach Denny Duncan. (Photo provided)

PALM COAST, Fla. – A sweeter script could not have been written. Grace women’s golf. National champions.

The Lady Lancers claimed their first national championship on Wednesday, winning the 2019 NCCAA National Championships by two strokes at Hammock Beach Resort’s Ocean Course.

In just its fifth season of existence, Grace head coach Denny Duncan led the Lady Lancers to the third national title in Grace College’s history. Grace also won the men’s basketball 1992 NAIA championship and the volleyball 1995 NCCAA crown.

Grace entered Wednesday’s final round tied atop the leaderboard with NCAA Div. II Erskine. But Erskine turned in 5 bogeys, 4 double bogeys and 1 quadruple bogey over the first three holes to give Grace an early edge.

Carolyn Pacocha and Rachel Harvey each parred eight of the first 12 holes to give Grace an early 12-stroke edge.

Erskine charged back over the back nine, however, eventually erasing Grace’s lead and even pulling ahead as the tournament wound down to the final three holes.

Freshman Lucy Young, paired up with the individual champion Anna Parramore from Erskine, produced three clutch holes to give Grace the title.

Young birdied the 16th hole while Parramore bogeyed, putting the Lady Lancers ahead by one. She then parred the 17th hole and bogeyed the 18th while Parramore bogeyed both difficult holes to secure Grace’s historic victory.

Young finished the tournament third on the individual leaderboard to earn All-American status. She carded a three-round total of 76-80-82.

Sydney Abbott was also named All-American with a sixth-place finish, producing 78-82-83.

Rachel Harvey was steady throughout the tournament with all three of her rounds counting toward the team score (85-82-81). She finished just outside of the top 10 with an 11th-place finish.

Freshman Carolyn Pacocha was fourth overall for the Lady Lancers (80-85-86), and Anna Marshall rounded out Grace’s lineup (88-83-85). All five Lady Lancers finished in the top 16 on the individual leaderboard.

Duncan was honored as the NCCAA National Coach of the Year after leading the Lady Lancers to the championship.