NAIA National Championship
Score: No. 1 Keiser 13, No. 2 Cumberlands 11
Records: No. 1 Keiser (16-0), No. 2 Cumberlands (16-2)
Location: Memorial Stadium, Savannah, Ga.

The No. 1 ranked Keiser women's lacrosse team capped off a perfect season en route to claiming the first-ever NAIA National Championship as they defeated No. 2 University of the Cumberlands 13-11 Saturday afternoon.

Cat Raymond, Madison Andrews, Melanie Brown and Rebecca Gibson were named to the All-Tournament Team. Jessica Covell was selected as the Tournament MVP.

Head Coach, Lauren Bennett, was awarded the NAIA National Coach of the Year Award after the game.

This was the second meeting of the season between the Seahawks and Patriots with the other coming in the Mid-South Conference Championship game, which Keiser won 12-6.




Keiser 9, Cumberlands 5

• Cumberlands opened the scoring in the 2021 NAIA National Championship game with a free position goal at the 25:57 mark.
• Andrews continued her torrid play with a free position goal to even the score, 1-1, as 24:08 showed on the clock.
• The two sides traded the next four goals before the Patriots reclaimed the lead, 4-3, with their third free position goal of the half at the 15:03 mark.
• Back-to-back goals from Brown and Madalyn Huber gave Keiser their first lead of the contest, 5-4, as 13:29 remained.
• After a UC goal knotted the score at 5-5, Talia Myers sparked a 4-0 KU run to close out the half with a 9-5 lead.
• During the run, Andrews collected her ninth hat-trick of the season and fourth in as many games.

Keiser 13, Cumberlands 11

• The Patriots stormed out of the break with four unanswered goals to even the score, 9-9, at the 13:20 mark.
• Andrews put the Seahawks back in front as the freshman netted her third goal of the game with 10:00 left.
• The hat-trick was Andrews ninth hat-trick of the season and fourth in as many games.
• Following a UC score to even the game, Andrews fired back again with a free position score to reclaim the lead for Keiser at 11-10 as 6:40 showed on the clock.
• Lena Finkelstein and Myers added some insurance for the Seahawks with back-to-back goals, making it 13-10 at the 4:46 mark.
• Myers goal was her third of the day, marking her third hat-trick of the season.
• Despite allowing one final UC goal, the Seahawks went on to win the National Championship by a score of 13-11.

• 1: Keiser claimed the first-ever NAIA National Championship
• 2: Keiser improved to 2-3 all-time against the Patriots.
• 3: The Seahawks move to 3-2 in NAIA postseason play all-time.
• 3: Hannah Reeder caused a game-high three turnovers.
• 5/4: Andrews totaled a game-best five points and four goals.
• 6: Myers won a game-best six draw controls.
• 13/33: Covell saved 13 shots and 33 overall for the tournament.
• 43: Andrews registered her 43rd goal of the year, setting a new program single-season record.
• 62: Andrews set a new program single-season record for points with 62.
• 300: Huber won her 300th career draw control in the victory.

 

No. 1 Keiser
Points: Andrews (5)
Goals: Andrews (4)
Assists: Raymond (2)
Draw Controls: Myers (6)
Ground Balls: Andrews/Reeder (3)
Caused Turnovers: Reeder (3)
Saves: Covell (13)
 
No. 2 Cumberlands
Points: Ricchiazzi (5)
Goals: Ricchiazzi (4)
Assists: Ricchiazzi (1)
Draw Controls: Heim (5)
Ground Balls: Andrieu/Ricchiazzi (3)
Caused Turnovers: Ricchiazzi (2)
Saves: McCarrell (14)