Pensacola, FL – They #13 Cumberlands women's soccer team struck early, while made a defensive stand to force penalty kicks after a 1-1 draw, before ultimately falling to #14 Keiser 3-2 in penalty kicks to close out the 2025 NAIA National Championships as the NAIA Runner-Up. The Patriots close out the season 17-5-3 after reaching the championship match for the second time in the last three years.
Morgan White tallied a career-high 14 saves in the match, while
Carola Fontan netted her third goal of the NAIA Final Site and her seventh goal of the season. Nicola Araujo also tallied an assist in the match.
For there efforts throughout the tournament Fontan was named the NAIA Outstanding Offensive Player of the Tournament as she closed out the tournament with seven points (three goals and an assist), while Fontan, Araujo, White, and
Samantha Sokolove were named to the NAIA All-Tournament Team.
The Patriots struck first early in the match as Mackenzie Longmuir played the ball out wide to Araujo, who sent a cross into the box where Fontan headed it into the corner of the net. That goal put Cumberlands in front 1-0 3:18 into the match. UC looked to add to their lead as
Abigail Little added a pair of shots on frame, however, both were saved keeping the score 1-0. White made a pair of saves, while the Patriots backline of Sokolove,
Noah Paalman,
Madison Long, and
Karla Waibel kept UC in front 1-0 at the break.
The Seahawks looked for the equalizer early in the second half, however, White secured five saves over the first 15 minutes of play keeping Cumberlands in front. Despite the tremendous effort of UC's backline Keiser notched the equalizer in the 72'. UC looked to retake the lead in the 80' as Araujo's shot just missed wide. White added a pair of saves keeping the match tied and forcing overtime.
White added a pair of saves in the first overtime and one in the second overtime, while Cumberlands had a couple free kicks opportunities but couldn't convert sending the match into penalty kicks.
Fontan and Araujo both nailed their pk's however, it wasn't enough as Keiser won the pk's 3-2.
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