Chicago, Ill. - The University of Wisconsin-La Crosse soccer team advanced to the second round of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III Championships with a 4-0 opening round victory over St. Catherine University (Minn.) Saturday at the University of Chicago's (Ill.) Stagg Grass Field.
UWL improves to 19-2-1 on the season and advances to face host and seventh-ranked Chicago (Ill.) in the second round on Sunday, November 16 at 1 p.m.
St. Catherine, tied for 24th in the United Soccer Coaches NCAA Division III Top 25 Poll, ends its season at 17-4. The Wildcats are ranked first in the United Soccer Coaches Region IX.
UWL, ranked third in the United Soccer Coaches Region IX, recorded its 15th shutout of the season on Saturday, the second-most in school history. The school record of 16 shutouts was set in 2023.
The Eagles' 19 wins this year are fourth in single-season school history. UWL won a school record 21 games in 2022. The Eagles had 20 victories in 2017 and 2023.
It is UWL's second national tournament victory over St. Catherine (Minn.) after a 1-0 double overtime win in the first round in 2021.
The game was scoreless at halftime on Saturday as both teams recorded six shots. UWL had four shots on goal while St. Catherine (Minn.) had two in the first half.
The Eagles got on the scoreboard at 57:55 on
Anya Carrillo's goal and
Monica Wawrzyn's assist.
Aubree Caya extended the lead to 2-0 at 75:18 with Wawrzyn recording her second assist.
Katelyn Studebaker made it 3-0 at 76:46 as Caya registered an assist.
Riley Veenendaal finished the scoring with an unassisted goal at 80:40.
UWL finished with 17 shots with nine on goal. Caya and
Catherine Arnold each had three shots with Caya recording all three on goal. Arnold had two shots on goal. The Eagles had three corner kicks.
Summer Nicolai earned the shutout in goal, registering five saves.
St. Catherine (Minn.) totaled 13 shots, including five on goal. Bella Meier had four shots with one on goal. The Wildcats also finished with three corner kicks.
Brianna Valdez suffered the loss, recording five saves.
UWL is making its eighth appearance (2015, 2017-18, 2021-25) in school history in the national championships, all coming under head coach
Jason Murphy. The Eagles are now 12-5-4 in NCAA Division III Championship history, earning its fifth straight appearance this year.
UWL made its first trip to the national championships in 2015 and earned its first tournament win in school history with a 2-0 first round victory over The College of St. Scholastica (Minn.) in 2017. UWL has advanced to the NCAA Division III Quarterfinals three times in school history (2017, 2021, 2023). The team has advanced to the third round twice (2018, 2022). UWL dropped its first round game last season, 2-1 in double overtime to Simpson College (Iowa).
