Lourdes soccer edges Pines Charter to return to state; Cypress Bay advances

Having graduated seven seniors, this season didn’t figure to be one where the Lourdes Academy girls’ soccer team would make it back to the state championship game.

But the Bobcats, who have been at least state finalists six times in the past eight seasons, are now one win away from playing for a title again.

Lourdes did so following a dramatic 5-3 penalty kick shootout victory over Pembroke Pines Charter following a 2-2 regulation/overtime tie in the Region 4-5A final on Tuesday night at Miami Dade College’s Kendall Campus.

As is usually the case in PKs, it comes down to the goalkeepers, and it was Lourdes keeper Sophie McMillan who made a single save in the second frame when she dove to her left and blocked a shot by Madison Connacher that proved to be the difference.

After Lourdes’ Lorena Alvarez, Nicole Lee, Gianna Gray and Valentina Kalka all made their shots and leading 4-3 after four frames, Ariana Gonzalez stepped up and drilled the fifth shot into the back of the net and Bobcat players stormed the center of the field to start their mass celebration.

“We pretty much had to go into rebuild mode after losing seven seniors last year, so this was a really young team,” Lourdes coach David Fique said. “I’m really proud of the girls for battling so hard and getting us back up to states again.”

Lourdes (15-3) will head back up to the very familiar surroundings of SpecMartin Stadium in DeLand as it marks their ninth trip to the state final four in the last 11 seasons. The Bobcats will enter as the No. 1 seed and take on No. 4 Orlando Innovation in a 5A state semifinal on Friday, Feb. 27 at 1.

Coming off a dramatic penalty kick shootout victory over rival Archbishop McCarthy in their regional semifinal game, the Jaguars (14-3-2) were looking to punch their first ticket to the state final four since a runner-up finish in 2015.

And they got off to a great start when Connacher, off a nice center crossing pass from Sierra St. Surin knocked one past McMillian just 10 minutes into the game to put PPC up 1-0.

Just 12 minutes before halftime, Lourdes managed to turn the tables.

First, came the Lee sisters. Nicole knocked a long ball from 40 yards out that bounced off the post before sister Jessica headed it in to tie the game at one. Seven minutes later, Veronica Aguilar scored off an assist from Kalka and just like that, Lourdes took a 2-1 lead into the halftime locker room.

The Bobcats nearly managed to protect that one goal margin but with five minutes left in regulation, St. Surin let go of a perfect centering pass from the right side that Oreofe Soyode knocked home, tying the game and sending it to extra time.

Lourdes will now hope to avoid what has become a series of frustrating journeys north. Since winning two state titles in a three-year span, (2018 and 2020) the Bobcats have had no problem winning state semifinal games but have lost all four times they’ve made it to the championship game including a 2-1 decision to Ponte Vedra last year.

Frustrating for Fique as well as he replaced Ramiro Vengoechea following that 2020 state championship season and has had to endure all four losses. Fate might’ve intervened on Tuesday night as the door to a championship for Lourdes swung wide open. Ponte Vedra, the defending state champion and No. 1 ranked team in the nation (MaxPreps) was upset at home by Tallahassee Chiles allowing the Bobcats to grab the No. 1 seed.

“On a personal level, sure it’s been pretty frustrating for me as far as not being able to get to that finish line,” Fique said. “But the past is the past, and you can’t change that. All you can do is push forward and keep trying and that’s what we’re doing now. Hopefully we can write a new story this time.”

CYPRESS BAY ADVANCES

Cypress Bay’s girls scored a pair of goals before the first half water break and rode that all the way to a 2-1 home win over Wellington and punch their ticket to the state final four.

Still looking for an elusive state title, the Lightning improved to 20-1 and will be the No. 2 seed and take on No. 3 Lithia Newsome in a 7A state semifinal on Tuesday at 10 a.m. at Spec Martin Stadium in DeLand.

Didi Duran scored Cypress Bay’s first goal off an assist from Andi Sherman before Mackenzie Rector knocked one in thanks to a nice centering pass from Gabriella Ferrer to stake CB to a 2-0 lead.

Wellington (15-3-1), the No. 2 seed, scored 10 minutes before the half to slice the Lightning lead in half. But airtight defense combined with a few nice saves by goalkeeper Alejandra Duran in the second half preserved the win.

“It certainly wasn’t pretty and actually a little ugly at times in the second half but the girls did a great job of finding a way to battle through and beat a very good Wellington team,” Cypress Bay coach Kate Dwyer. “Will take it up north again and give this another shot and see what happens.”

This story was originally published February 18, 2026 at 12:15 PM.