MARION, Ind. - The Indiana University Kokomo women's soccer team fell 4-0 to Hope International (Calif.) Thursday night in the opening round of the NAIA National Championship.

Thursday's loss on the campus of Indiana Wesleyan puts a close to the Cougars 2023 season, as they finish the year with an overall record of 13-4-5. This year's campaign featured several great accomplishments, including the program's first ever RSC Regular Season crown, a second-consecutive RSC Championship, and a 15-match unbeaten streak.

Hope International attacked aggressively from kickoff, taking an early lead on their first shot on-goal in the seventh minute. 

IU Kokomo looked to turn the tides by earning their first corner kick of the night in the eighth minute, but the Royals would add their second goal of the night in the 12th minute. Ashlyn Edwards second goal of the night for HIU made it a 2-0 deficit for IUK just 12:25 into the match.

Despite surrendering a pair of goals early, the Cougars managed to find their footing and hold the Royals scoreless for the remainder of the half.

The Royals controlled possession for much of the second half, but were unable to add on to their lead for the opening 30 minutes thanks to strong play from the back-line and goalkeeper Sydney Miller in her NAIA National Championship debut.

A Christiane Sundstrom goal in the 75th minute made it 3-0 HIU, before the Royals scored their final goal of the night three minutes later for a 4-0 lead.

The Cougars earned three corner kicks in the final eight minutes, however nothing came of them despite more aggressive play in the attacking third.

Thank you to the seniors for their tireless efforts and contributions to the IU Kokomo women's soccer program, we wish you the best of luck in your future endeavors.

For the latest news, updates, and information on the IU Kokomo Cougars, fans can visit IUKCougars.com. Fans can also stay up to date on the latest Cougar news by following @IUKAthletics on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.