BETHANY, Okla. --- With their season on the line, the Wayland Baptist women's soccer team delivered one of its most composed and determined performances of the year, earning a hard-fought 2–1 victory over Southwestern Christian in Friday's NCCAA Central Regional Championship match.. The Pioneers earned a berth to the 2025 NCCAA Division 1 Women's Soccer National Championships.
Wayland Baptist struck first and controlled the tempo early, using organized defending and timely attacking sequences to keep pressure on the Eagles. The breakthrough came in the 31st minute, when
Makayla Coronado buried the opening goal after a perfectly placed assist from
Talia Gisonni, giving WBU a 1–0 lead.
Coronado's finish capped off a strong first half in which the Pioneers generated five shots and repeatedly threatened in transition while limiting SCU's ability to generate dangerous chances. Keeper
Ashley Lopez came up with a key save in the 27th minute to preserve the early advantage.
After the break, the Pioneers wasted little time doubling their lead. In the 56th minute, sophomore midfielder
Celeste Landin converted a setup from
Camila Zavala, striking cleanly to push the margin to 2–0. The goal provided crucial breathing room as SCU increased its attacking urgency.
Southwestern Christian responded with a surge, hitting the crossbar twice before finally pulling one back in the 65th minute through Aven DeFalco, assisted by Abbigail Johnson. But even as momentum tilted, the Pioneers stayed composed defensively, clearing repeated threats and denying SCU the equalizer.
Wayland's back line—anchored by Gisonni,
Paula Cubillos,
Gabriella Chapa, and
Cecilia Lopez —absorbed pressure throughout the closing stretch, while Lopez controlled the box and shook off a late yellow card to finish the match with one save on the night.
In total, WBU generated seven shots to SCU's 10, but the Pioneers' efficiency and defensive structure proved to be the difference. They also won the corner-kick battle 3–0, often using set pieces to relieve pressure and reestablish control.
The final whistle sealed a hard-earned postseason victory—one defined by resilience, timely scoring, and a collective commitment to outlasting a physical and persistent SCU side.
Wayland Baptist will now travel to Kissimmee, Florida to compete in the 2025 NCCAA Division 1 Women's Soccer National Championships – their first appearance in program history. The NCCAA National Championships will take place from December 1-6, 2025, at the Austin-Tindall Sports Complex.
To view the 2025 NCCAA Division 1 Women's Soccer National Championship page, please visit
here.
