Heartbreak in Wichita: William Penn Men’s Soccer Falls in NAIA Championship Shootout

Wichita, Kan. – The William Penn men's soccer team's historic season came to a heart-wrenching end Monday as the Statesmen fell to #1 seed Dalton State in a dramatic 3-2 penalty shootout during the NAIA National Championship Final.

Making their first-ever appearance in the championship game, the #3-seeded Statesmen (20-3-3) battled the Roadrunners to a nail-biting 0-0 draw across regulation and extra time. The match showcased William Penn's resilience and grit, but Dalton State ultimately seized victory in the high-stakes penalty shootout.

From the opening whistle, the Statesmen set the tone with their offensive edge. They outshot Dalton State 4-3 in the first half and matched them 5-5 in the second. In overtime, WPU kept pushing forward, recording the only shot of the first extra period. Defensively, William Penn shone, holding Dalton State without a single shot on target throughout 110 minutes of play.

When the contest moved to penalties, the tension was palpable. Dalton State struck first, saving Hugo Cornish's (So., Sydney, Australia, Business Management) opening shot and converting their own. The Roadrunners extended their lead after denying Leighton Jameson (Jr., Lisburn, North Ireland, Psychology), making the score 2-0 after two rounds.

William Penn's hopes flickered alive when John-Joe Mullane (Jr., Kent, England, Sports Management) delivered under pressure, but Dalton State stayed perfect in their responses (3-1). Albert Feixas (Fr., Santa Colma de Farners, Spain, Exercise Science) converted his shot to keep the Statesmen in the hunt, narrowing the margin to three-two, and a clutch save from Sean Bohan (Sr., Dublin, Ireland, Business Management) swung momentum back to WPU. However, the dream ended when Connor O'Reilly's (Jr., Letterkenny, Ireland, General Accounting) final attempt was stopped, sealing the 3-2 shootout loss.

Cornish, O'Reilly, and Mullane each tallied two shots, while Jameson, Feixas, Ricardo da Silva (Jr., Vitoria, Brazil, Business Management), and Stef Snijders (Grad., Tubbergen, The Netherlands, Master's of Sports Management) attempted one strike apiece. 

Bohan, a steadfast presence in goal throughout the season, was rarely tested during regulation thanks to an airtight defense. His performance in the championship game earned him a historic milestone as he recorded his 18th career shutout—setting a new program record.

Despite the heartbreaking loss, the Statesmen left Wichita with their heads held high. Their remarkable tournament run earned widespread recognition: O'Reilly, Bohan, and Edan Sears (Sr., Telford, England, Sports Management) were named to the All-Tournament Team, with Sears also taking home the prestigious NAIA National Championship Outstanding Defensive Player award.

"This team has developed into something special," said Bohan. "Anyone can win a game of football in penalty shootouts, but looking at the game, I am so proud of everyone on the team. Another day, we come, and we win this game, Everyone has done themselves proud, and I'm elated to be a part of it."

"A couple of years ago, we were talking about what it would be like to make a final site, you know, win our first game at nationals," said Head Coach Simon Brown. "There has always been growth in what we can do. We wanted to make the national tournament, make the final site, and win a national tournament game. This year, we changed our goals. We wanted to win a national championship, and we put ourselves in the hat. We hadn't lost a game before this; we had to go to penalties to be beaten. We're right there as one of the best teams in the country. We go toe-to-toe with the number one undefeated team."

He continued, "Losing on penalties is rotten. I feel bad for these guys, but we are so incredibly proud of these teams. Thank you, everyone, for the support, for coming down today, and for every message. It carried us through this season."

Brown also reflected on his team's journey: "These guys are already successful because they already have each other. I am very thankful for the staff, for the time they put in, everybody at the university for the help, and all of the kids—whether they've been here for five years or one year. It's been a tremendous effort."

His advice to his players—"When you break down the barrier of your excuse, anything is possible. Hard work is the answer."