CARLISLE, Pa. — Maya Nanayakkara (Sr., Flower Mound, Texas) scored four times to lead the way as No. 9-ranked/No. 8 seed/Texas Division Champion the University of Texas horned in No. 4/No. 12 seed/Southeast Division Champion the University of Florida, 9-8, to earn a spot in the 2026 Women’s National Collegiate Club Championship Ninth Place game.
The Longhorns – which have placed 10th (2009), 11th (2011, 2012), 12th (2002), 13th (2007, 2016) and 15th (2019) at the National Collegiate Club Championship since 2002 – will return to the water on Sunday, April 19, at 2:15 p.m. Eastern against the victor of a consolation game pitting No. 16/No. 10 seed/Mid-Atlantic Division Champion Pennsylvania State University and No. 9/No. 14 seed/Atlantic Division Champion the United States Naval Academy.
Florida – which never finished outside the Top 10 at the National Club tournament by placing first (2019), second (2001, 2006), third (2002, 2004, 2012, 2018), fourth (2003, 2016), fifth (2000, 2011), seventh (2008, 2022), eighth (2014) and ninth (2005, 2007) in the program’s prior trips to the postseason – will see their historic footnote wiped out as the Gators will take on the fallen from the PSU-Navy clash for 11th place at 3:30 p.m. on April 19.
Texas jumped on the scoreboard first versus Florida as Nanayakkara lanced in a penalty shot with 3:45 to go in the first quarter for an opening strike. Eva Meyler (Jr., Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) and Lorena Campos (Jr., Madrid, Spain) responded for the Gators by drilling in natural (2:42) and man-up (1:44) markers to put Florida ahead 2-1. Jame Chin (Gr., Bellevue, Wash.) evened the damage prior to the conclusion of the opening seven-minute quarter as she tossed in a goal with 1:02 on the clock for a two-all deadlock.
Campos (5:29) and Nanayakkara (3:37, penalty shot) exchanged scores in the second quarter to flip the scoreboard to three-all before Chin hurled in a tiebreaker with 3:07 on the clock to make it 4-3 in favor of Texas heading into halftime.
Florida knotted the contest at four-all 36 seconds into the third quarter thanks to a man-up goal from Duffy (6:24), but Nanayakkara put Texas back in front at 5-4 (6:07). Duffy (5:17, penalty shot) and Campos (3:37, man-up) gave the Gators back the lead at 6-5 before Texas turned the tables for good with back-to-back-to-back successful heaves by Nanayakkara (2:26) and Gracie Lander (So., Buda, Texas) (1:02, man-up; seven seconds) to acquire an 8-6 margin with one seven-minute quarter of action left to play.
Chin delivered the eventual game-winning goal with 4:55 remaining in the fourth quarter as Texas went ahead 9-6. Campos (3:11; 1:07) attempted to put her team back in the contest with consecutive scores to shrink the lead to 9-8, but the Longhorns’ defense stiffened in front of netminder AJ Watson (Sr., McGregor, Texas) to prevent any further damage.
Campos (five), Duffy (two) and Meyler accounted for the entirety of Florida’s offense. Elin Brugge (Sr., Sanford, Fla.) turned aside nine shots in taking the loss.
Nanayakkara (four), Chin (three) and Lander (two) combined for Texas’ nine goals to support a 20-save performance by Watson.
University of Florida’s Lorena Campos (#15) & University of Texas’ Cameron Flanary (#12)
University of Texas’ Cameron Flanary (#12) defends the University of Florida’s Eleanor Duffy (#13)
University of Florida’s Elin Brugge (#1) & the Gators’ defense
University of Texas’ Maya Nanayakkara (#9) & University of Florida’s Bianca Valsecchi (#12)
