After having lost in an IHSA sectional final the past two seasons, Trinity was hoping that the third time would be the charm when it faced Montini in the Class 3A Glenbard South sectional final, Feb. 22.
Unfortunately for the Blazers, the top-seeded Broncos had lengthy scoring runs in each the second and third quarters to coast to a 69-40 victory and the sectional title.
“Montini’s a good team, we knew that going in,” said Trinity senior forward Lauren Miller, who scored a team-high 15 points, including 11 in the second half. “We gave it our all, fought, and never gave up.”
Trailing 20-8 early in the second quarter, Trinity (20-14) scored five consecutive points to pull within seven. But that was as close as the Blazers would get the remainder of the contest as Montini, led by Victoria Matulevicius (24 points) and Nicolette Kerstein (23 points) went on a 12-0 run.
“(Kerstein and Matulevicius) are very talented players,” said Trinity coach Kim Coleman.
Then leading 37-21 at halftime, the Broncos, smelling blood, scored 11 unanswered points to start the third quarter. That effectively put things away as Trinity did not score in the quarter until Miller’s three-pointer five minutes in.
Despite the rough ending, Coleman thought the Blazers had a terrific season, one that exceeded expectations.
Trinity’s Lauren Miller gets off a shot despite heavy pressure from Montini during the IHSA Class 3A Glenbard South sectional final on Feb. 22. Miller scored 15 points in the Blazers’ season-ending 69-40 defeat. 
Trinity’s Destiny Sacluti fires one from three-point range against Montini during the IHSA Class 3A Glenbard South sectional final on Feb. 22. The Blazers were defeated by the Broncos 69-40. | Carol Dunning 
Trinity forward Chloe Santos puts up a shot against Montini during the IHSA Class 3A girls basketball Glenbard South sectional final on Feb. 22. The Blazers’ season ended with a 69-40 defeat. | Carol Dunning 
Trinity forward Zaria Goins drives against Montini during the IHSA Class 3A girls basketball Glenbard South sectional on Feb. 22. Goins had 10 points in the Blazers’ season-ending 69-40 loss. | Carol Dunning
“Nobody expected us to win 20 games given what we lost last year,” she said. “I’m proud of the team for how they stayed together and represented the school. (Montini) was the better team tonight, but we’re going to keep working.”
Zaria Goins added 10 points for the Blazers, who return seven players next season. Miller and Luz Del Rosario Kwiatkowski Perez are Trinity’s only players who will be lost to graduation.
“I’ve seen so much growth as a player and person,” Miller, an University of Chicago signee, said of her four-year varsity career. “The improvement I made helped me evolve into the player I am today and it’s also helped me play at the next level. I’m grateful to Trinity for everything.”
“Lauren has been phenomenal; she’s one of the best kids I’ve ever coached,” Coleman said. “It’s a big loss for our program and school. Lauren and Luz laid the foundation for our kids coming up.”
In Trinity’s 39-31 sectional semifinal win against Glenbard South on Feb. 20, sophomore guard/forward Zaria Goins led the team with 14 points, while senior guard Lauren Miller notched seven points. Senior guard Luz Del Rosario Kwiatkowski Perez and sophomore forward Chloe Santos each had six points for the Blazers. Trinity had the lead against Glenbard South for the entirety of the game, and while Glenbard got to within three points early in the fourth quarter, the Blazers turned it on with a 5-0 run, capped off by a shot from under the net by Santos to put the Blazers up 34-26 with 4:15 to play in the game.
“Our defense was really able to step up,” Miller said. “We were able to lock down when we needed to, step up on the post, and get some really good boards, and that helped minimize extra possessions for them.”
“Pressure was one of the biggest keys of the game today on both sides of the court,” Goins added. “One thing we’re going to carry from this game is that we have to play up to our opponents, not down.”
The Blazers finished the first half of that game with a 6-0 run, capped off by Miller’s shot from the middle at the halftime buzzer to put her team up 23-12.
“[Miller] is our leader,” said Blazers head coach Kim Coleman. “She does a good job of staying composed. She’s a senior so she’s been in this position three other times, so we look to her to settle us down and get a quick bucket when we need one.”