Wilmington, NC (November 6, 2023) - CFCC Athletics is proud to announce that the Women's Soccer team defeated Pensacola State in the District Championships and is heading to the NJCAA Division II Women's Soccer Championship in Tucson, Arizona.
The Sea Devils finished their season with an undefeated 11-0-1 record. After defeating conference rivals, the Wake Tech Eagles, for the Region 10 Conference Championship title, CFCC hosted Pensacola State on October 28 and finished the match with a 1-0 victory. This marks the third consecutive time that the Sea Devils Women's Soccer program has qualified for the NJCAA National Tournament. With both Region 10 Conference and South Atlantic District Championship titles under their belt, the Sea Devils have their sights set on competing on a national stage once again.
After a hard-fought matchup on both ends of the pitch, Cape Fear newcomer Johanna Morales scored the winning goal for the Sea Devils off of a clutch long ball up the pitch from conference standout goalkeeper Maleah Bainer in the final 17 minutes of play.
"Firstly, what a great performance from Pensacola State," remarked Head Coach C.W. Ponton. "That was the most intense game we've played this season and they fought until the very end. And I'm so incredibly proud of our team today. Today showcased how every player on our roster has to come prepared and ready to win. We set a goal before the players even stepped foot on our campus to make it to the National Tournament again, so it's great to see how hard work and having the right mindset pays off."
"Very proud of the grit and determination the girls displayed," says Assistant Coach and former CFCC Women's Soccer player Bayleigh Moss. "Every person on our team contributed from the positivity on the field to the high energy on our sideline. Shoutout especially to freshman Abbey Natallachio who stepped into an integral defensive role very well today."
The NJCAA DII Women's Soccer Championship bracket and tournament seeding will be announced on Tuesday, November 7, via the NJCAA Network. Cape Fear will compete in Tucson's first round of tournament play on Sunday, November 12. All games will be streamed on the NJCAA Network at njcaa.org/network. Schedule and game updates will be posted on the official CFCC Athletics social media channels and goseadevils.com.
