Samford wins 2025 SoCon Women's Soccer Championship

BIRMINGHAM, Alabama – The No. 1 seed Samford Bulldogs won their seventh SoCon Tournament title as the Bulldogs defeated sixth-seeded Mercer, 4-1, on Sunday afternoon at Shauna Yelton Field in Birmingham, Alabama.

Sunday’s championship win for Samford was the program’s second straight tournament crown. The Bulldogs’ win also gave the program their fifth title in the last seven seasons.

Mercer scored in the opening minutes of the contest. Sydney Farr found Morgan Eikelbarner for a goal in the second minute, putting the Bears ahead 1-0.

Samford scored the equalizer 20 minutes later. Langston Lilly found the top right of the goal off a rebound, tying the score at 1-1 in the 22nd minute.

After halftime, Samford took the lead for good on a goal from Clare Nichols just 36 seconds into the frame. Tournament Most Outstanding Player Sam De Luca scored the Bulldogs’ third goal of the game in the 60th minute. In the 71st minute, Caroline Smith found the back of the net, ending the scoring for the match.

Samford finished the game with 16 shots, while Mercer had nine for the contest. The Bulldogs also had six corner kicks to just two for the Bears.

  
The Bulldogs (13-2-5), who earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, will find out where they play next during the NCAA Selection show, which airs on NCAA.com on Monday, Nov. 10 at 4 p.m. ET.

2025 SoCon Women’s Soccer Championship All-Tournament Team 
Samantha Grantham, The Citadel
Grace Eatz, ETSU
Katie Bengough, Furman
Ava King, Furman

Morganne Eikelbarner, Mercer
Sydney Farr, Mercer

Maggie Rollins, Mercer

Ava Kiss, UNCG
Martha Bishop, Samford

Sam De Luca, Samford

Hanna Rae Himes, Samford

Avery Stevens, Samford
Caroline Richvalsky, Chattanooga

Mackenzie Hobik, VMI

Isabella DeMarco, Western Carolina

Abbie Wise, Western Carolina

Ellie Gower, Wofford
 
Most Outstanding Player 
Sam De Luca, Samford
 
Knight Commission Pinnacle Award (highest cumulative GPA among championship-eligible student-athletes on winning team)
Fleming Dean, Samford

2025 Women's Soccer Championship
Tuesday, Oct. 28
First Round (at higher seeds)
Match 1: No. 8 Wofford 2, No. 9 The Citadel 1
Match 2: No. 7 UNCG 2, No 10 VMI 0

Friday, Oct. 31
Quarterfinals (at No. 1 & No. 2 seeds)
Match 3: No. 1 Samford 2, No. 8 Wofford 0 (Birmingham, Alabama)
Match 4: No. 5 Furman 2, No. 4 Chattanooga 1 (OT) (Birmingham, Alabama)
Match 5: No. 2 Western Carolina 4, No. 7 UNCG 3 (OT) (Cullowhee, North Carolina)
Match 6: No. 6 Mercer 2, No. 3 ETSU 1 (Cullowhee, North Carolina)

Sunday, Nov. 2
Semifinals (at No. 1 & No. 2 seeds)
Match 7: No. 1 Samford 3, No. 5 Furman 2 (2OT) (Birmingham, Alabama)
Match 8: No. 6 Mercer 1, No. 2 Western Carolina 0 (2OT) (Cullowhee, North Carolina)

Sunday, Nov. 9
Final (at Samford)
Match 9: No. 1 Samford 4, No. 6 Mercer 1