Soccer Wins First-Ever UAC Title 3-1 Over EKU

Saturday, November 14

Conway, Ark.

6 p.m.

Abilene Christian

10-2-8, 4-0-3

Eastern Kentucky

10-7-4, 6-2-2

Team	1	2	Final F
Eastern Ky.	0	1	1
Abilene Christian	2	1	3

Bracket

2026 Soccer UAC Conference Tournament Champions Graphic

11/14/2026 10:19:00 PM | Women's Soccer

Box Score

By: Lindsey Blasingame

CONWAY, Ark. — Abilene Christian defeated Eastern Kentucky 3-1 on Saturday in the championship of the inaugural United Athletic Conference soccer tournament. The Wildcats scored twice in the first half and finished with 11 shots, including six on goal.

After a potential penalty in the box was overturned by a VAR review, ACU generated a corner in the fifth minute, and Amelia Miller scored off Nia Leslie's assist to make it 1-0. ACU pushed forward again and doubled the advantage in the 38th minute, when Aliyah Anderson scored off assists from Emma Taylor and Shelby Hollywood. Bella Medrano saved several shots in the final 10 minutes of the half, giving the Wildcats the 2-0 lead heading into the locker room.

EKU cut the deficit to 2-1 in the 53rd minute, then kept pressing with attempts that Medrano saved from several Colonels. Shakira Kafero-Roberts scored at 72:50 to move ACU back ahead by two goals at 3-1.

In the closing minutes, the Wildcats added shots from Mikayla Abrenica and Jenna Verplancke, and the match finished as a 3-1 ACU win. The Wildcats have exceeded expectations all season long, ranking fourth in the preseason coaches' poll while EKU was voted as the conference favorite. The team has lost just two games this season, but not since Sept. 3, a 2-0 loss at Tulsa.

Anderson scored the game-winning goal on her only shot. Kafero-Roberts scored and led Abilene Christian with three shots, including two on goal. Amelia Miller added a goal on two shots. Medrano recorded five saves while playing all 90 minutes in goal.

Medrano now sits at 112 saves on the season, which is the highest single-season total by an ACU goalkeeper in the Div. I era, breaking her own record of 109 from last season.

This tournament championship win is ACU's first since the 2018 season, when the team defeated Stephen F. Austin 3-1 in the Southland Conference tournament final. Head coach Stephen Salas was the associate head coach for that squad.

Following the conclusion of the match, Gracie Kelly was named the Championship MVP, adding another recognition to her long list of accolades this season: Defensive Player of the Week (8/31/26), All-UAC First Team, Defensive Player of the Year and Academic All-UAC. Medrano, Kafero-Roberts and Baylie Simon were named to the All-Tournament team alongside Kelly.

Kelly has played every minute this season, contributing to the strong defense that has allowed only 13 goals in 20 games this season in 20 games and the NCAA-best team save percentage at .902.

UP NEXT

The Wildcats have earned an automatic qualifying bid to the NCAA Tournament with the UAC title. The team will find out its opponent and game location during the Selection Show that will air on NCAA.com on Monday at 3 p.m. CT.