For the second straight year, the WashU women's soccer team will play for a national championship. With their win over No. 2 Christopher Newport University, WashU will face No. 11 William Smith College on Sunday, Dec. 8 for the national title.
Hailing from the shores of Seneca Lake, New York, the Herons received an at-large bid to the tournament after losing the Liberty League conference championship. Since the tournament, though, William Smith has caught fire and defied the odds. The Herons upset No. 7 Tufts University 2-1 in the second round, and then defeated No. 9 Washington and Lee University (W&L) 2-0 in the Sweet 16. William Smith then advanced to their 12th Final Four in program history with a 1-0 win over Trinity University Texas. William Smith beat No. 23 Emory University 2-0 on Dec. 6 to advance to the National Championship game.
The Herons are seeking their third national championship in program history. They are led by United Soccer Coaches Hall of Fame manager Aliceann Wilber, who is the second-most winningest head coach in NCAA women's soccer history across all divisions.
Since losing to Ithaca College on Oct. 2, William Smith has lost just once -- a penalty shootout defeat to Ithaca in the Liberty League championship. The Herons have conceded just four goals since that. The Herons are led by senior defender Marjorie Plants and junior midfielder Ruth Hotaling, both of whom were named All-Americans. Senior defender Ireland Krawczyk was named to the Liberty League All-Conference team, while graduate student goalkeeper Kirsten Nelson has done well against the potent Tufts and W&L attacks. Four Herons, including Plants and Hotaling, are tied for the team lead with six goals; Hotaling leads the team in assists with 11.
William Smith played two games against WashU's University Athletic Association (UAA) rivals this season. On Sept. 21, the Herons dominated the University of Rochester 3-1, but fell to Carnegie Mellon University 4-1 on Sept. 7. WashU beat Rochester and Carnegie Mellon 2-0 and 3-0, respectively.
The Bears advanced to the National Championship averaging roughly 21 shots per game. To win, WashU must penetrate the Herons' strong backline. The Bears' potent attacking trio of first-year Olivia Clemons, junior Grace Ehlert, and sophomore Sophie Viscovich must be in top form against the Heron defense.