Vanderbilt Wins Intense PK Shootout Against LSU For SEC Tourney Title (With Gallery)
November 10, 2025
Vanderbilt on the SEC Women’s Soccer Championship Sunday afternoon at Ashton Brosnaham Park in North Escambia, the fourth year the tournament has been held at the Escambia County park.
Senior Vivian Akyirem scored the equalizing goal, graduate Sara Wojdelko delivered a highlight performance, and No. 8 ranked Vanderbilt downed No. 25 LSU 8-7 in a three-hour long penalty kick thriller to win the SEC Tournament championship on Sunday at the Brosnaham Soccer Complex.
For a photo gallery, click here.
“This match tells you everything you need to know about our team,” said head coach Darren Ambrose. “We were challenged by an LSU team that was incredibly organized and came to play. They challenged our character and a little bit of our belief in ourselves. I think of words like ‘grit’ that we use all the time, especially down a goal: we defined that today.”
It is the fourth SEC Tournament title in program history, and the second in six seasons for Vanderbilt under Ambrose after winning in 2020.
Vanderbilt (15-3-2) fell behind early after LSU (13-5-4) scored in the 25th minute off the foot of Gabbi Ceballos. It was just the third time all season the Dores conceded the opening goal to an opposing team.
The Tigers remained in the lead at the halftime break, taking a 6-3 shot advantage into the locker room. Vanderbilt generated multiple opportunities to begin the second half, coming within inches of evening the score in the 52nd minute after a shot from senior Maci Teater was saved at the goal line.
With the clock continuing to dwindle, Vanderbilt broke through in the 69th minute. A free kick from junior Courtney Jones was sent directly at LSU keeper Audur Scheving, deflected back to the box, and rebounded into the net by Akyirem. It was just the third goal of the season for the senior midfielder.
Both teams went back and forth in a second half that produced four total yellow cards combined. And despite multiple threatening shots from either side, the score remained at 1-1 as time expired, sending the match to extra time. After overtime and double overtime were not enough to separate the two, the match came down to penalty kicks.
Vanderbilt entered the contest having taken one penalty kick all season. And after scoring on two of the first four kicks, the Dores sat on the brink of defeat with their hopes resting on Wojdelko. As she has done throughout her entire career, the 2025 SEC Goalkeeper of the Year delivered for her team, making a diving save on a shot from Gadea Blanco González to the right side of the goal. Junior Sydney Watts followed by converting on Vandy’s final penalty kick to keep the team alive. Morgan Witz stepped to the ball with a chance to win the match, sending a strong strike to the left side. Wojdelko fully extended on yet another dive, redirecting the ball off the post before jumping on top of the ball at the goal line to complete the save.
After each side drilled four penalty kicks each, sophomore Mary Beth McLaughlin added to the score to give Vanderbilt an 8-7 advantage. And with another make-or-break kick on the line, Wojdelko sealed it for the Dores, stopping a shot from Jazmin Ferguson to clinch the match win.
“If you watched the Florida State match from last year, [Wojdelko] did the same thing,” Ambrose said. “We said before we went out for penalties ‘We’ve got Wojo, they don’t.’ And that was all we needed.”
“Tactically, this was not the game we wanted,” Ambrose continued. “But this was not about tactics anymore; this was about our desire to win. We were on a mission here, and we were not leaving without a trophy.”
It is the first time since 2018 that an SEC Championship match has gone to penalty kicks and the sixth overall for the Dores in their SEC Tournament history. The victory is the eighth straight for Vanderbilt, ending LSU’s 10-match streak.
For a photo gallery, click here.
Four Dores were selected to the SEC all-tournament team: Watts, Wojdelko, Jones and freshman Olivia Stafford. Jones also finished as the tournament’s MVP, joining Myra Konte from 2020 as the only players in program history to receive the honor.
Vanderbilt and LSU now turns their focus to the NCAA Tournament selection show.
NorthEscambia.com photos, and courtesy photos from the SEC and Vanderbilt, click to enlarge.
Northview’s Riley Brooks Signs With Coastal Alabama
November 8, 2025
Northview High School senior Riley Brooks signed Friday to play softball at Coastal Alabama Community College.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Playoffs: Flomaton Shut Out By Montgomery; Escambia Academy Beats Snook
November 8, 2025
Here a look at first round playoff action Friday night from South Alabama.
Montgomery Academy 42, Flomaton 0
The Flomaton Hurricanes fell to the Montgomery Academy Eagles 42-0 Friday night in Montgomery in the first round of the AHSAA 3A playoffs.
The Eagles came out strong, scoring 21 points in the first quarter followed by 21 points in the second before a scoreless third and fourth quarters.
Flomaton’s first season under new head coach Jayce Gandy ended at 6-5.
Escambia Academy 56, Snook Christian 8
The Escambia Academy Cougars defeated the Snook Christian Academy Eagles 56-8 Friday night in Canoe in the first round of the AISA Eight-Man Playoff quarterfinals.
After Snook scored eight points in the first quarter, the Cougars held the Eagles scoreless for the remainder of the game.
With the win the Cougars advance to host Cornerstone Christian.
NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.
Ernest Ward Eagles Boys And Girls Beat Pollard McCall
November 7, 2025
he Ernest Ward Middle School Eagles boys and girls basketball teams both defeated Pollard McCall Junior High School Thursday night in Walnut Hill.
Up next, the EWMS Eagles will host Flomaton on November 10. The girls tip off first at 5 p.m. with the boys game to follow.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
LSU To Face Vandy For SEC Soccer Title
November 7, 2025
The teams are set for the SEC Soccer Tournament championship match on Sunday in North Escambia.
LSA will take on Vanderbilt at 2:30 Sunday afternoon at Escambia County’s Ashton Brosnaham Park off Ten Mile Road.
In Thursday’s semifinal games:
- LSU 3, Mississippi State 1 – LSU advanced to the SEC Championship match with a 3-1 win over Mississippi State, sparked by Ava Galligan’s opener in the 28th minute. A red card in the box led to an Ida Hermannsdottir penalty to make it 2-0, and freshman Sariyah Bailey added a header moments later. Mississippi State scored before halftime, but LSU’s back line and keeper Auder Scheving held strong to finish the match and send the Tigers to Sunday’s final. LSU is now heading to the finals for the third time in program history.
- Vanderbilt 2, Georgia 0 – Vanderbilt secured a spot in the SEC Women’s Soccer Tournament Championship with a commanding 2-0 semifinal win over Georgia.The No. 2 seed Commodores broke a scoreless deadlock in the 67th minute with a goal from Sydney Watts, assisted by Olivia Stafford, and added an insurance goal late in the match to seal the victory. Vanderbilt controlled the pace with 14 total shots and a strong defensive showing that limited the No. 3 seed Bulldogs to just five attempts.
NorthEscambia.com photo, click to enlarge.
Local Students Attend SEC Soccer Tournament
November 6, 2025
This week, local schools took field trips to watch the SEC Soccer Tournament.
McArthur Elementary School students (pictured below) with perfect attendance through the end of October were able to take a walking field trip to nearby Ashton Brosnaham Park to watch as No. 2 Vanderbilt defeated No. 10 Alabama by a score of 2-1.
Fourth and fifth grade students from Lipscomb Elementary (pictured top) also attended the Vanderbilt versus Alabama game.
The tournament continues Thursday with the championship game on Sunday.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Undefeated UWF Football Ranked No. 1 In NCAA Regional Rankings
November 6, 2025
UWF is the No. 1 team in Super Region Two in the Monday’s release of the NCAA Division II regional rankings.
The 9-0 Argos sit atop the list of the top-10 teams in the region. Super Region Two consists of programs competing in the Gulf South Conference (GSC), Conference Carolinas (CC), South Atlantic Conference (SAC) and Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC).
The Argos, who are also ranked No. 3 in multiple national polls are coming off a 51-38 road win over No. 15 Delta State, setting up a GSC Title shot on Saturday, Nov. 15 when the team hosts Valdosta State at Pen Air Field for the final game of the regular season.
UWF has beaten three nationally ranked opponents this season including No. 14 Lenoir-Rhyne in the season opener, No. 8 West Alabama on the road in October and No. 15 Delta State this past Saturday.
NCAA postseason play will begin on Saturday, Nov. 22.
SUPER REGION TWO RANKINGS (As of Nov. 2)
- West Florida (9-0)
- Albany St. (8-0)
- Benedict (7-1)
- Newberry (7-1)
- Wingate (7-2)
- Kentucky St. (7-1)
- Delta St. (7-2)
- Carson-Newman (6-2)
- UNC Pembroke (8-2)
- Emory & Henry (6-3)
SEC Women’s Soccer Tournament Semifinals Set In North Escambia On Thursday
November 5, 2025
Here are scores from Tuesday action in the SEC Women’s Soccer Tournament continues in North Escambia at Ashton Brosnaham Park.
- Vanderbilt 2, Alabama 1
- Georgia 1(5), Kentucky 1(4)
- Mississippi State 2, Arkansas 1
- LSU 2, Tennessee 0
SEMIFINALS
In semifinal action on Thursday:
- Mississippi State vs. LSU
- Vanderbilt vs. Georgia
The championship will be Sunday.
Pictured: LSU in the SEC Women’s Soccer Tournament. NorthEscambia.com file photo.
Blue Wahoos To Be The ‘Pensacola Sky Jockeys’ During Some 2026 Games
November 5, 2025
The Pensacola Blue Wahoos unveiled a new alternate identity that pays tribute to the community’s strong ties to military aviation. With a blue and yellow color scheme reminiscent of the U.S. Navy’s Blue Angels Flight Demonstration Squadron, the Pensacola Sky Jockeys will take flight at Blue Wahoos Stadium during select games throughout the 2026 season.
Fitting Pensacola’s status as the “Cradle of Naval Aviation,” the Sky Jockeys jersey features the team wordmark in a sharp, angular font to match livery on the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet flown by the Blue Angels. The cap features a fierce, anthropomorphic fighter jet sporting aviator sunglasses and baseball bats on its wingtips.
“The Pensacola Blue Wahoos have enjoyed a strong relationship with our military community since we first took the field in 2012, and that partnership has only grown in recent years,” said Blue Wahoos assistant general manager Anthony Aspenson. “Our players have visited the Blue Angels on the flight line at N.A.S. Pensacola, and the Blue Angels have reciprocated with frequent flyovers during Blue Wahoos home games. When we think about what makes Pensacola special in the world of Minor League Baseball, our special connection with the Blue Angels is near the top of the list. We can’t wait to take the field wearing uniforms that recognize this unique point of Pensacola pride.”
The Blue Wahoos launched the Pensacola Mullets brand in 2016, and have worn the uniforms of their fun-loving alter egos for every Thursday home game since 2021. In 2023, the Blue Wahoos unveiled the Pensacola Pok-Ta-Pok brand identity as part of Minor League Baseball’s “Copa de la Diversión” celebration of Hispanic culture.
Photos/images for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Northview Golfer Anna Kunkel Advances To State Finals
November 4, 2025
Northview High School’s Anna Kunkel competed in the FHSAA Regional Golf Championship in Jacksonville, finishing in the top five with a score of 74. She advances to the state to play for the state title.
At districts, Kunkel took first overall with a score of 69, while the Northview Girls Golf team finished third overall.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
