MERCED, Calif. – For the second consecutive season, the University of California, Merced women's soccer team will continue its season in the NAIA Women's Soccer National Championship and will travel to Prescott, Ariz., to play Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in the second round on Saturday, November 23. The Bobcats earned an at-large bid this morning after finishing the regular season 10-3-2.
UC Merced is one of 24 teams in the 40-team field to advance straight to the second round. The Bobcats, ranked No. 19 in the NAIA Women's Soccer RPI and fourth in the ARC West ratings, are 1-1 all-time in the national tournament.
The program's only other appearance was a season ago, winning a first round game against Midland 1-0 before falling in the second round to fourth-ranked Central Methodist.
The Bobcats enter the tournament shutting out eight of their last nine opponents and head coach Roman DuChateau's team ranks fifth in the country with a 0.40 goals against average. UC Merced, who posted 11 clean sheets overall, outscored it's opponents 44-6 in 2024. Also of note, the Bobcats didn't concede a goal in Cal Pac play, becoming the first team in the league to ever accomplish that feat. All-Cal Pac First Team selections Katy Flores and Preeya Singh anchor the defense, while Alicia Lepe has been the Bobcats primary goalkeeper and has eight solo shutouts. Yesenia Tijerina (13 goals) and Cal Pac Offensive Player of the Year Yareli Hernandez (9 goals) pace the offense.
Embry-Riddle is the No. 13 overall seed nationally and won the Great Southwest Athletic Tournament Championship. The Bobcats former conference rival is 15-2-3 in 2024 and rank 12th in the NAIA with 12 goals allowed and a 0.56 goals against average. The Eagles rank top 20 offensively with 65 goals and 21.5 shots per game.
Last time these two teams met, UC Merced beat Embry-Riddle 2-1 in the 2023 California Pacific Conference Tournament Championship match.
The winner of Saturday's match advances to the NAIA Women's Soccer National Championship Final Site in Pensacola, Fla., playing either fourth-seeded Campbellsville, Northwestern Ohio, or LSU Shreveport. The final site will be held at the Asthon Brosnaham Soccer Complex December 2-9.
The full field and bracket can be found here.
