Historic season ends one win shy of NJCAA semi

WICHITA, Kan. — Mississippi Gulf Coast saw the 2025 women's soccer season come to an end Tuesday night, but the Bulldogs can bask in the knowledge that the most successful season in program history set a new standard.

Fifth-seeded Gulf Coast came up a goal short of a trip to the NJCAA semifinal after a 1-0 loss to fourth-seeded Holmes at Stryker Sports Complex.

"I think the first 15 minutes it was a bit cagey," Bulldogs coach Ryan Joiner said. "We grew into the game, and the girls played really well for long stretches. We had chances to score and kept them out of the net outside one good goal they scored. Overall, it was two really good performances by two teams that probably deserved to be in the semifinal."

Gulf Coast started the season unranked but put together a 13-4-1 record, with four one-goal losses. Three of them came to teams that will play in the national semifinals on Friday, and one came to top-ranked Johnson County. Gulf Coast lost twice to Holmes and once to Northwest Mississippi, which is the highest seed still alive here in Wichita.

Holmes scored in the 12^th minute, but the Bulldogs had more shots on goal in the half and the game. Gulf Coast forced five saves by Holmes keepers, while Laurel Conley (So., Ocean Springs/Ocean Springs) made just two, including one spectacular save late in the game.

"We focused on ourselves all year," Joiner said. "We scouted Holmes well enough going in, but ultimately, we had it just about right. We just didn't finish our chances, which is a team thing. I'm very proud of the girls' effort tonight."

Gulf Coast had beaten ninth-seeded Rock Valley on Monday to make Tuesday's game a win-and-advance game for both teams. Holmes will play third-seeded Heartland in the second semifinal, after the all-MACCC semi between second-seeded Northwest and eighth-seeded Jones.

The Bulldogs have already signed much of the 2026 class of recruits, and they'll have big boots to fill. There are 12 sophomores who have helped put the school onto the national stage, picking up the first win at an NJCAA tournament for the program.

"They've turned the program around," Joiner said. "I can't say enough nice things and great things about them as people and players. It's a great season from starting unranked to being fifth in the country with a national tournament win. The ceiling has now been raised, and we're going to continue to do that. We're going to have some great alums out of this group, and we've got freshmen with big shoes to fill as we go forward."

NJCAA Division II Women's Soccer Championship

November 16-22, 2025

Scheels Stryker Sports Complex

Wichita, Kan.

Pool D

Sunday, Nov. 16

No. 4 Holmes 3, No. 9 Rock Valley 0

Monday, Nov. 17

No. 5 Gulf Coast 2, No. 9 Rock Valley 0

Tuesday, Nov. 18

No. 4 Holmes 1, No. 5 Gulf Coast 0

Semifinals

Thursday, Nov. 20

No. 2 Northwest Mississippi vs. No. 8 Jones, 10 a.m.

No. 3 Heartland vs. No. 4 Holmes, 12:30 p.m.

Championship

Saturday, Nov. 22

Title game, 1 p.m.

For more information on MGCCC's 12 intercollegiate athletic teams, follow @MGCCCBulldogs on Twitter and MGCCCBulldogs on Facebook, and go to mgcccbulldogs.com.