FIU Women’s Soccer Shuts Out Flames To Capture First CUSA Title

MIAMI, FL – Since 2021, head coach Jonathan Garbar has tried to elevate FIU Women’s Soccer to a proud program with championship aspirations.

It wasn’t easy, but this Panthers squad has done it, defeating Liberty by a score of 1-0 to win their first-ever Conference USA Championship in front of the FIU faithful.

Defense Wins Championships

FIU didn’t exactly enter the CUSA Tournament on a hot streak, but their win over Middle Tennessee was dominant, earning a 2-0 win behind the best defensive unit in the conference.

That signature Panthers defense didn’t skip a beat today, pitching a shutout against the second-seeded Liberty Flames.

To their credit, FIU did have to face 20 shots and six corner kicks by LU, but Valery Restrepo came in clutch with the six shots on goal, making save after save.

The Unlikely Hero

Someone had to score eventually. FIU featured a ton of available strikers who could nail a shot in, but that didn’t turn out to be the case.

On a rush to the net, Deborah Bien-Aime was taken down, resulting in a penalty on Liberty and a free kick for the Panthers.

Bien-Aime, a senior defender, had not scored a single goal not just this season, but in her whole career at FIU. But when allowed to end the scoring drought, she cashed in.

With a 1-0 lead, FIU had to stay strong on the defensive end. That was put to the test with 33 minutes to go as a pair of Panthers crashed down, but Restrepo swatted the ball away.

As the minutes ticked down, Liberty didn’t find enough opportunities to get to the net. Ultimately, FIU held on and secured the hard-earned title.

With the win, the Panthers also secure a spot in the upcoming NCAA Tournament. Ultimately, FIU closes with a 13-4-2 record, including a 6-1-2 conference record and a 6-0-2 record at Leyva Family Field.