The Patriots march into the Semifinals on Wednesday Behind High Octane Second Half Against Ave Maria (Fla.)
DECATUR, Ala. – [Watch On-Demand] The Cumberlands (Ky.) Patriots used a balanced attack and a decisive middle stretch to pull away from the Ave Maria (Fla.) Gyrenes earned a 14–11 win at Jack Allen Sports Complex.
Ave (11-7) came out sharp and controlled the first quarter early behind attacker Annie Dhabliwala, who scored three times in the opening 14 minutes. The Gyrenes led 5–4 after one, including three unassisted goals by Dhabliwala and a man-up finish in the final minute that briefly put Ave Maria in control.
UC (20-1) steadied in the second quarter, tying the game twice before taking its first lead late in the half. After Dhabliwala converted a free-position shot to make it 6–5 Ave Maria, the Patriots answered with an Emma Rittman goal off an Ashlee Baker assist, then grabbed a 7–6 halftime edge on a man-up, unassisted goal by Christina Carter with 14 seconds left.
The game’s key stretch came in the third quarter. Ave Maria tied it 7–7 on Angelina Diesslin’s finish off an assist from Maura Barnes, but Cumberlands responded with a 3–0 run to close the quarter. Anna Lobbezoo scored unassisted, Rittman finished a setup from Lobbezoo, and Audrey Donaldson converted a feed from Rittman with 24 seconds left to push the Patriots ahead 10–7 entering the fourth.
Ave made one last surge early in the fourth, scoring twice in the opening 45 seconds — Dhabliwala unassisted, then Allison Fifield off an assist from Lily Hynds — to cut the deficit to 10–9. Cumberlands answered with its own run, getting goals from Kaitlyn Friel, Allison Joines (man-up), Friel again, and Baker to build a 14–9 cushion with 5:31 remaining.
The Gyrenes closed with two man-up goals — one from Fifield and another from Diesslin on a free-position attempt — but could not fully erase the gap as Cumberlands held on for the 14–11 victory.
By the Numbers
- Shots: Cumberlands 34, Ave Maria 23 (a major possession and pressure advantage for the Patriots)
- Ground balls: Cumberlands 20, Ave Maria 13
- Draw controls: Ave Maria 15, Cumberlands 11 (Ave Maria won the circle but could not fully translate it into a shot advantage)
- Turnovers: Ave Maria 18, Cumberlands 14
- Goalie saves: Cumberlands’ Mikayla Kimsey recorded eight saves, while Ave Maria’s Francesca Pieniadz made seven.
Standout Performers
Ave Maria
- Annie Dhabliwala: 6 goals on 13 shots (10 on goal), plus seven draw controls — the engine of Ave Maria’s offense.
- Allison Fifield: 2 goals, including a man-up finish in the fourth quarter.
- Angelina Diesslin: 2 goals, including a late free-position conversion.
- Sophie Paige: 2 assists.
Cumberlands
- Ashlee Baker: 3 goals, 3 assists (6 points) to pace the Patriots.
- Anna Lobbezoo: 2 goals, 2 assists, and several key momentum plays in the third quarter.
- Emma Rittman: 2 goals, 1 assist on a high-volume 10-shot day.
- Kaitlyn Friel: 2 goals during the fourth-quarter push that created separation.
Ave Maria won the draw-control battle and had the game tied late in the third quarter, but Cumberlands’ shot volume (34), ground-ball edge, and timely scoring runs — especially the 3–0 close to the third quarter and the four-goal burst in the fourth pushed the Patriots into the semifinals on Wednesday, May 13 to face the winner between Marian (Ind.) and SCAD Savannah (Ga.) at 7 p.m. CT.
