MECHANICSBURG, Pa. – The No. 1 Washington University in St. Louis women's soccer team is headed back to the Final Four with a 1-0 overtime win over No. 4 Messiah on Saturday afternoon. This marks the third straight year the Bears have reached the Final Four and the eighth time in program history.
The Bears will play the winner of the Chicago vs. Swarthmore/Carleton match in the national semifinal on Dec. 4 in Salem, Va.
After nearly 98 minutes of scoreless play, the Bears ended things with a golden goal at 97:55. Junior
Keira Smyser played a corner kick to junior
Sophie Viscovich, who centered the ball to sophomore
Kate Martin. Martin headed the ball towards the goal where junior
Madi Foley was there to finish for the 1-0 win.
The goal marks Foley's fifth goal of the season and third game-winner. Viscovich now has nine assists while Martin has three.
The physical game had ebbs and flows for both teams, adding to the long-standing postseason rivalry between the Bears and the Falcons. WashU outshot Messiah 20-10 with an 8-1 advantage in shots on goal. The Bears also had eight corner kicks to Messiah's three.
Foley and first-year
Monica Morales-Martinez each had two shots, both on goal. Junior
Jadyn Aling and sophomore
Olivia Clemons each had three total shots with one on goal, and Viscovich recorded three total shots.
Sophomore
Kassidy Lanthier made one save on the day for her sixth solo shutout of the season.
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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.
