NASHVILLE — In 2025, the Trevecca Nazarene University women's soccer team watched a berth in the Gulf South Conference Championship slip through their fingers in the final matches of the season. In 2026, Matheus Mello's club was determined not to allow that to happen again.
Trevecca (6-5-4, 3-4-3 GSC) rallied from a 1-0 deficit against the University of West Alabama Tigers (1-10-3, 0-8-3 GSC) to earn the 1-1 draw. Coupled with a 2-0 win from the University of Alabama at Huntsville over Mississippi Christian University, the result pushed Trevecca back above the cut-off for the conference tournament and clinched their spot in the Championship.
THE SERIES
The series is now three matches old - dating to September 22, 2024 - and there has never been a winner in any of the three contests. The teams drew 2-2 in Nashville in 2024, 0-0 in Livingston, Alabama last year, and now 1-1.
THE MATCH
West Alabama - in search of their first win of the season in GSC play - broke through in the 10th minute. Sofia Jimenez Perez converted a pass from Allie Kimbrell into her first goal of the season, and the Tigers held the lead for much of the rest of the way.
Trevecca pushed forward, knowing they needed to find a goal and get a point to keep control of their destiny. The Trojans fired 16 shots at UWA goalkeeper Yumari Hernandez in the opening half, including nine shots on frame, but the Tigers kept the Trojans off the scoresheet, and at the half, the match remained 1-0 UWA.
The Trojans continued to build the pressure in the second half. Early on in the second half, Trevecca kept possession in the UWA end, but they struggled to get shots.
Tatum Mendel got the first Trojan shot in the 56th minute, and they forced a pair of corner kicks moments later, but with 10 minutes to go in the match, UWA continued to lead 1-0.
As time wound down, though, the Trojans turned to
Elsa Bengtsson. The sophomore from Stockholm, Sweden got a shot in the 75th minute - one of four she had in the match - and in the 82nd minute, she found the back of the ol' onion bag. Bengtsson took a feed from
Kylie Bradshaw, and she fired it through into the bottom of the goal to square things at 1-1. The Trojans got a pair of shots in the final three minutes of the match, but they were not able to find another goal, as the Trojans earned a point with the draw.
GOALKEEPERS:
Trevecca -
Penelope Charroin (T, 4-4-3) - 90 Minutes Played, 1 GA, 4 SV
UWA - Yumari Hernandez (T, 1-10-3) - 90 Minutes Played, 1 GA, 12 SV
SCORING:
16;21 - UWA: Sofia Jimenez Perez (1, Allie Kimbrell)
81:11 - TNU:
Elsa Bengtsson (5,
Kylie Bradshaw)
UP NEXT
Trevecca will wrap up the 2026 regular season with one final home match on Tuesday, October 27. The Trojans will welcome in the Valdosta State University Blazers for a match that was originally scheduled for October 10. The Trojans are locked into the No. 8 seed in the GSC regardless of the outcome of the contest, while VSU could earn a home match with a draw or a win.
