Cumberlands Repeats as Women's Lacrosse Tournament Champs

WALESKA, Ga. - Top-seeded Cumberlands (KY) defeated No. 2 seed Reinhardt (GA) 15-4 on Saturday at Ken White Stadium to win the 2026 Appalachian Athletic Conference Women's Lacrosse Tournament championship, giving the Patriots their second straight tournament title.

Cumberlands set the tone early and never trailed, building a 3-0 lead by the end of the first quarter and then adding to it in each of the next three. Lenora DeVries opened the scoring at the 6:27 mark of the first, and Ashlee Baker followed with two goals in a span of just over a minute, including a free-position finish with 3:58 left in the quarter and another off an assist from Anna Lobbezoo at 2:50. By halftime, Cumberlands had stretched the margin to 6-2.

Baker led the Cumberlands' attack with six goals and two assists, finishing as the game's top offensive performer. She scored again early in the second quarter off an assist from Audrey Donaldson, added another at 5:10, and later capped her day with a fourth-quarter free-position goal. Lobbezoo scored twice and assisted on another goal, while Allison Joines added two goals, including a late strike with 17 seconds left in the third quarter that pushed the lead to 10-3. Cumberlands finished with 31 shots, 27 on goal, and held a 20-11 edge in ground balls.

Reinhardt found brief answers in the middle quarters. Chelbi Mcelwaney scored twice for the Eagles, first at 6:41 of the second quarter to end a Cumberlands run, then again in the fourth on a free opportunity. Lawna Henry added a second-quarter goal, and Izzy Prestia scored early in the third to cut the deficit to 6-3. Reinhardt goalkeeper Madison Hasty kept the margin from growing even larger with 12 saves against 27 shots on goal.

The third and fourth quarters removed any remaining doubt. After Prestia's goal early in the third, Emma Rittman answered with a free-position goal for Cumberlands, Christina Carter scored at 4:47, and Joines struck late in the quarter. Cumberlands then opened the fourth with Kaitlyn Friel's goal at 7:59 and closed the day with four of the final five goals. Anna Lobbezoo scored with 5:37 remaining and again on a free-position chance with 1:02 left to finish the scoring.

Mikayla Kimsey recorded eight saves for Cumberlands, which also posted slightly better draw control numbers, 11-10, and committed fewer turnovers, 15-22. The championship game was played at Ken White Field in Waleska, with David Finney listed as the official. For Cumberlands, the result delivered another conference tournament crown. For Reinhardt, the title-game appearance capped a run to the final as the tournament's No. 2 seed.

Baker was named the Tournament MVP, with teammates Mikayla Kimsey, Madison Rupp, and Christina Carter joining her on the All-Tournament Team. Also making the squad are Emma Perritte, Madison Hasty, and Izzy Prestia of Reinhardt; Maddie Diaz and Maggie Byrd of Georgetown; and Rylee Brendlinger and Olivia Downey of Tennessee Wesleyan.

With the tournament title win, Cumberlands receives an automatic berth to the NAIA National Championship Tournament, which is set for May 11-15 at the Jack Allen Sports Complex in Decatur, Ala.

Thursday, April 23
Game 1 - No. 3 Tennessee Wesleyan (14-4) def. No. 6 Columbia (1-13), 28-2 (box)
Game 2 - No. 4 Georgetown (5-11) vs. No. 5 Montreat (4-9), 23-6 (box)

Friday, April 24
Game 3 - No. 1 Cumberlands (18-1) def. No. 4 Georgetown (5-12), 20-4 (box)
Game 4 - No. 2 Reinhardt (11-2) def. No. 3 Tennessee Wesleyan (14-5), 21-8 (box)

Saturday, April 25
Game 5 - CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH - No. 1 Cumberlands (19-1) def. No. 2 Reinhardt (11-3), 15-4 (box)