By Official Florida FC

The Flagler College women’s soccer team is the Peach Belt Conference Tournament champion.

The Saints (8-0-2) held off Columbus State (6-1-2) in penalty kicks on Saturday afternoon in St. Augustine to clinch their second straight sweep of the conference’s regular season and tournament titles.

The teams were deadlocked for most of the match. Flagler’s Lorena Lopez headed home Maria Castorino Mujica’s 75th minute corner kick to open the scoring. Columbus State responded three minutes later with Maddy Peterson’s fourth goal in nine games this spring.

Flagler made all three of its penalty kicks.

Lopez, Annie Habeeb and Castorino Mujica all converted from 12 yards. The Saints’ all-conference goalkeeper Sarah-Lisa Dubel showcased why she was named the Peach Belt’s Co-Player of the Year in the shootout.

Dubel, a 6-foot-1-inch keeper from Germany made a pair of saves in regulation that left the Cougars in disbelief. She made two more in the penalty kick shootout. Dubel dove to her left to deny the effort of Avery Hanson. She then saved Ouimette’s effort.

The shootout had a premature ending. Dubel saved Columbus State forward Rachael Sweigard’s penalty kick, but was judged to have come off her line early. Swiegard missed her ensuing effort to end the shootout and set off the Saints celebration.

Flagler finished the 2021 spring season undefeated and outscored its opponents 32-4. The Saints were ranked No. 3 in the Division II United Soccer Coaches poll heading into the Peach Belt Conference Tournament.

Flagler was Florida’s only Division II soccer program that fielded a team this spring.

Flagler advanced to the NCAA Division II semifinals in 2019. Saturday’s win meant the program is 31-1-3 in the last two seasons.

Here are photos from the match.

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