ST. LOUIS, MO – Top-ranked Washington University in St. Louis proved to be too much for No. 23 University of Rochester women's soccer, as the Yellowjackets fell to the Bears, 4-0, on Friday evening at Francis Olympic Field.
Facing WashU in St. Louis for the first time since the Yellowjackets upset the top-ranked Bears, 2-1, on Oct. 29, 2023, the two-time reigning NCAA Division III Champions scored two early goals and three in the first half en route to their 11th shutout of the season.
The Bears connected on each of their first two shots, with Sophie Viscovich putting WashU up 1-0 with a goal just over a minute into the contest off Madison Foley's assist. Foley then notched the first of her two scores just a few minutes later, doubling WashU's lead in the sixth minute off an assist from Olivia Clemons.
A through ball found Foley onside, ahead of the Yellowjacket defense down the left wing, and the senior's chip into the box found Viscovich, who put WashU in front just 1:06 into the contest.
Then, just past the five-minute mark,
Eleni McGuire had to come off her line to stop a shot from Clemons, but the deflection found Foley, who finished on the open net to give WashU a 2-0 lead.
Clemons would make it 3-0 in favor of the top-ranked Bears in the 24th minute, again forcing McGuire to come off her line after a header pass from Annika Pass, but this time Clemons maneuvered around Rochester's keeper for the score.
On the opposite end of the field, the Yellowjackets took just two shots in the first half, with
Delia McMullen's 22nd-minute attempt sailing high, while
Haidi Schoenberger forced Kassidy Lanthier's lone save of the night with a shot from distance in the 44th minute.
The Yellowjackets trailed 3-0 at the halftime break, but Foley and the Bears quickly made it 4-0 seven minutes into the third, as Foley again scored off a Clemons assist.
After making one save in the first half, McGuire would tally another in the second before being relieved by
Kate Cunningham for the final 22:37, while Charlotte Shapiro played the final 10:42 in goal for WashU.
The 'Jackets held the Bears to just three shots in the second period after WashU took seven in the second, while Rochester doubled its shot total with two more in the second half.
Femke Laudy's 57th-minute attempt sailed wide, while
Addi Verdon's 78th-minute free kick from the right wing was blocked by WashU's defense.
Of WashU's 10 shots, six were on goal, while the Yellowjackets put just one of their four shots on net.
Top-ranked WashU remains unbeaten at 14-0-1 (3-0-1 UAA) with the win, while the 23rd-ranked 'Jackets fall to 8-2-4 (0-2-2 UAA) with the loss.
Schoenberger had Rochester's one shot on goal, while McGuire picked up a pair of saves.
For WashU, Foley had a brace on four shots, while Clemons had a goal and two assists.
The Yellowjackets will look to bounce back when they wrap up their UAA weekend with a matchup against the 11th-ranked University of Chicago Maroons on Sunday, Oct. 25 at 1:30 p.m. CT in Chicago, IL.
