MECHANICSBURG, Pa. – The No. 1 Washington University in St. Louis women's soccer team defeated No. 8 MIT 1-0 on Friday to advance to the Elite 8. This marks the fourth-straight year the Bears have advanced to the Elite 8, the sixth time in seven years, and the 15th time in program history.
WashU, which is now 19-0-2, will play No. 4 Messiah tomorrow at 1 p.m. ET with a spot in the Final Four on the line. Messiah beat Calvin 1-0 to advance.
After a physical, scoreless first half, the Bears broke through for their lone goal in the 55th minute. Sophomore
Olivia Clemons crossed the ball to senior
Ella Koleno, who centered it where sophomore
Cami Colpitts finished it for what would ultimately be the game-winner.
It marks Colpitts' eighth goal of the season and Koleno's team-leading 11th assist of the year.
The Bears had two shots on goal in the first half, from Colpitts in the 22nd minute and senior
Grace Ehlert in the 42nd minute, and both were saved by MIT goalkeeper Ava Muffoletto.
First-year
Monica Morales-Martinez had a shot on goal in the 53rd minute, and Colpitts put a shot on in the 54th minute. Both were saved by second-half goalkeeper Maddy Noll. Up 1-0, junior
Sophie Viscovich put a shot on the bottom left corner in the 63rd minute, and junior
Keira Smyser had a shot on frame in the 69th minute, both stopped by Noll. Clemons had a solid chance to put the Bears up 2-0 in the 86th minute, which was also stopped by Noll.
As a team, the Bears tallied 15 shots with eight on goal compared to MIT's nine total shots and four on goal. The Engineers edged WashU 5-2 in corner kicks.
Clemons had four total shots with one on goal, while Colpitts recorded three, all on goal.
Sophomore goalkeeper
Kassidy Lanthier made four saves, all in the first half, for her fifth solo shutout of the season.
A win tomorrow would mark the Bears' third-straight trip to the Final Four. The game will be streamed live on NCAA.com.
Elevating scholar-champions requires resources beyond the institutional budget. Through the W Club, generous alumni, parents, and friends provide unrestricted support that is essential to the extraordinary WashU student-athlete experience—and the ongoing growth and development of the department. Annual support for Athletics allows the Bears to consistently rise to national levels of competition and ensures that our student-athletes enjoy exceptional opportunities as they train, compete, and lead. To make a gift to the Annual Fund for Athletics, please visit our secure online giving form or contact the Athletics Advancement Office at athletics@wustl.edu.
