Courtesy: Jeff Livingston
Courtesy: Jeff Livingston

The Bees of SCAD Savannah (Ga.) Are NAIA Women's Soccer National Champions For the First Time in Program History

PENSACOLA, Fla. - [Championship Bracket | Final Site Schedule | Watch Live | Live Stats] The 2024 NAIA Women's Soccer National Championship Match had a team whose cinderella run was highlighted by tough defense and strong offense with SCAD Savannah (Ga.) and a team who has been in this position before with Keiser (Fla.). This year's championship match had a total of 26 shots and five goals all in favor of the SCAD Savannah (Ga.). Allowing the Bees to head home with the program's first-ever Red Banner.

SCAD started the game pursuing Sun Conference foe Keiser (Fla.) getting a goal in the fourth minute when Sydney Chura found Abigail Siddall on the back post for the header and a 1-0 lead. The Bees opened this year's national championship making the final site for the first time ever in program history, and have continued to be dominant not allowing one goal all week.

The first ten minutes of play were all SCAD. The Bees netted their first goal four minutes after the opening kickoff from Chura, the Bees had another great look but pushed it just wide of the far post shortly after. In the 16th minute, Siddall put the Bees ahead 2-0 cleaning up the rebound off the Seahawks goalkeeper. Through the first 30 minutes of the opening half, the match was nearly even in every stat besides the one that mattered with the score. Both the Bees and Seahawks had three shots, SCAD led with a pair of shots on goal, and one corner.

Keiser began to settle in late in the first half, finding a few threatening chances, but SCAD was just as threatening on the counter-attacks out of the defense causing some issues for Keiser's back line. Chura was having herself a first half in the Bee's first-ever Women's Soccer National Championship Match when she assisted on her third goal in the 36th minute as Lois Beer headed it in to lead The Sun Conference foe, Keiser 3-0. After the first half, SCAD led 7-4 in shots, 4-0 in shots on goal, and 2-0 on corner kicks against Keiser (Fla.). The Bees were dominant across the board on offense and defense.

The Bees continued to dominate throughout the match, but for the first time in the tournament, SCAD conceded a goal in the 78th minute, which cut their lead to 3-1 after Delfina Lombardi was able to flick it into the top back corner. The Bees responded just ten minutes later to push their lead back to three goals and secure the program's first-ever Red Banner

 

2024 NAIA National Championship All-Tournament Team

Player Name Institution Position
Marely Fonseca John Brown (Ark.) Goalkeeper
Georgia Little Keiser (Fla.) Defender
Grace Winegar Columbia (Mo.) Defender
Julia Forslund Keiser (Fla.) Defender
Lois Beer SCAD Savannah (Ga.) Defender
Delfina Zolesio Columbia (Mo.) Midfielder
Ines Sommer SCAD Savannah (Ga.) Midfielder
Esalenna Galekhutle William Carey (Miss.) Midfielder
Alicia Rey Keiser (Fla.) Midfielder
Sydney Chura SCAD Savannah (Ga.) Forward
Lauren Walter John Brown (Ark.) Forward
Eden Makaafi College of Idaho Forward
Christina Salmon William Carey (Miss.) Forward
Maria Vilhena Keiser (Fla.) Forward

Outstanding Defensive Player Award: Lois Beer, SCAD Savannah (Ga.)

Outstanding Offensive Player Award: Sydney Chura, SCAD Savannah (Ga.)

Most Valuable Player: Sydney Chura, SCAD Savannah (Ga.)

Championship Information

NAIA Women's Soccer Championship

42nd ANNUAL
WOMEN'S SOCCER 

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP
Dec. 1-8, 2025
Ashton Brosnaham Soccer Complex
Pensacola, Fla.  

First & Second Round
Nov. 20-22, 2025
Campus Sites