Foley, AL – The Patriots defense fended off 12 shots and nine cornerkicks to earn their fourth consecutive shutout, while netting a goal in each half as third-seed Cumberlands knocked off second-seed Spring Arbor 2-0 Monday afternoon. With the win, the Patriots advance to NAIA championship match for the first time in program history.
Rita Aguye Cots and
Nicole Araujo each netted their first goal of the tournament.
Olaya Blanco and
Carola Fontan picked up an assist apiece, while
Georgia Martell finished with two saves and multiple key defensive stops throughout the match. Aguye Cots,
Amy Anderson, and
Camryn Broz led the Patriots backline.
The Cougars (20-1-2) put UC on their heels defensively over the first 12 minutes of action tallying three shots and four corner kicks over that span. In the 8' Spring Arbor's Lauren Moellering fired a shot on frame but Martell punched the ball over the crossbar to keep the match scoreless. The two teams traded possession over the next ten minutes as the Patriots began pushing the ball up field. In the 31', UC took advantage of a Cougars penalty that set up a free kick from 30 yards out. Blanco sent the free kick into the box, where Fontan headed to the near post where Aguye Cots' headed it into the net to make it 1-0. Five minutes later Araujo notched a shot however it was saved as the Patriots took the 1-0 edge into the break.
Cumberlands (17-1-3) came out strong in the second half notching a corner kick, while
Kallen Fuller tallied a shot left of the net in the 49' keeping the score 1-0. Spring Arbor tallied four shots and four corner kicks over the next 15 minutes, however, the Patriots defense continued to turn them away. In the 69' Ariana Stoltzfus' shot deflected off the crossbar as UC maintained their 1-0 advantage. Martell notched her second save in the 79' as well to fend off another Cougars shot. In the 84' Martell sent a booming kick up field to Fontan, who headed it forward before firing a shot towards the goal. Blair Currie made the save, however, Araujo was there for the rebound shot as she put it in the back of the net to extend UC's lead to 2-0. It is the seventh goal of season the reigning MSC Freshman of the Year and her first goal of the national tournament. Cumberlands notched three more shots over the final six minutes to earn the 2-0 final.
It marks UC's fourth straight 2-0 victory in the NAIA tournament and the Patriots are the only team that has not surrendered a goal in the 2023 tournament. Cumberlands women's soccer becomes just the third team in school history to advance to a NAIA Championship game joining the 2013 football team and the 2021 women's lacrosse team.
The Patriots will face top-seed William Carey, who defeated UT Southern 7-3 in the other semifinal. That match is slated to begin at 1:05 p.m. EST with coverage of the game available on ESPN 3.
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