An Elite End: UChicago Women’s Soccer Season Recap

The University of Chicago’s women’s soccer team concluded their season on Sunday, November 24 in the Elite Eight round of the Division III NCAA Tournament. After a hard fought game, they lost 1-0 to the No.1 ranked Washington University in Saint Louis at Francis Olympic Field in St. Louis, MO. The Maroons ended their season with a winning record of 13 wins, 7 losses, and 2 ties. 

The Maroons’ season began this year with two wins on their biennial trip to California, where they defeated both Chapman University and UC Santa Cruz. After a strong start, they had many ups and downs. Some of the most notable moments of the regular season were their 1-0 defeat against Carnegie Mellon who, at the time, was ranked third in the nation and their 0-0 tie against WashU who was ranked first. They ended their conference championship in 6th place with a 2-4-1 record. 

It was no surprise that they carried their momentum into the first round of the NCAA Division III women’s soccer tournament where they traveled to Grand Rapids, Michigan to take on Lawrence University in the round of 64. After defeating Lawrence with a 4-0 shutout, the Maroons were set to play the host team, Calvin University, in the round of 32. Having previously suffered a 3-1 loss to Calvin during the regular season, the Maroons redeemed themselves by ending the Knights’ season with a 3-1 victory, securing their place in the Sweet 16 in Saint Louis. 

With their confidence soaring, the Maroons prepared to take on Messiah University, a formidable opponent ranked fifth in the nation and the 2019 DIII national champions. After their suspenseful overtime victory against Messiah, in which they secured their spot in the Elite Eight with a second penalty kick just two minutes into sudden death overtime, the Maroons prepared to face a familiar opponent. They were set to take on WashU once again, and after tying the Bears four years in a row, this matchup promised to finally deliver a conclusive result. The game started off fairly even-handed, and by halftime it was tied 0-0 – the stalemate continued. The game remained tied until the Bears scored with 10 minutes of regular time remaining. Despite a hard fought game, the Maroons lost 1-0 to the No.1 ranked WashU in the quarterfinals.

The Maroons capped off their season with an impressive run and a winning record. This year will undoubtedly go down in history as one of their best performances and will inspire future generations of UChicago women’s soccer players. Looking ahead, the Maroons are eager for future seasons and the opportunity to return to the tournament to once again compete for a National Championship.