NAPERVILLE, Ill. – The Webster University women's soccer team saw its 2026 season come to an end Saturday evening, falling 9-0 to North Central College in the opening round of the NCAA Division III Women's Soccer Championship at Benedetti-Wehrli Stadium.
Webster entered the national tournament following a successful conference campaign that included both the SLIAC regular-season and tournament championships. The Gorloks finished the year with a 13-3-1 overall record.
North Central opened the scoring in the ninth minute and added two more goals over the next three minutes. The Cardinals extended their lead to 4-0 midway through the opening half before adding two more goals to take a 6-0 advantage into halftime.
Webster goalkeeper Leia Adkins faced consistent pressure throughout the contest, finishing with 15 saves, including nine in the second half. The Cardinals held a 44-4 advantage in shots and scored three more times after halftime.
Malaya Blakely accounted for all four of Webster's shots, putting three on target. She tested the North Central goalkeeper less than two minutes into the match and added another opportunity in the 34th minute. Blakely recorded two more attempts in the second half, including a shot on goal in the 69th minute.
Despite Saturday's result, Webster put together an impressive 2026 campaign under head coach Luigi Scire. The Gorloks went unbeaten in conference play with a 7-0-1 SLIAC record, capturing the program's 17th regular-season conference championship before adding the SLIAC Tournament title to earn an automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament.
Webster's success was reflected in the conference's postseason awards. Mia Smith was named the SLIAC Offensive Player of the Year, Jasmine Hubbard earned Defensive Player of the Year honors, and Scire was selected as Coach of the Year. The Gorloks also collected eight All-Conference selections, including four First Team honorees.
Blakely added another postseason honor, earning SLIAC Tournament Most Valuable Player recognition after helping lead Webster to the conference tournament championship.
The Gorloks close the 2026 season with 13 victories, two conference championships and an NCAA Tournament appearance, capping a memorable year for the program.
