Down a goal with just over three minutes remaining in Sunday’s game, No. 24 women’s soccer needed an improbable goal to keep its season alive.

No. 5 MIT (20–1–3, 10–0–0 in the NEWMAC), its opponent, had won 14 straight matches, had not conceded a goal since Oct. 19 and had not lost since Sept. 3. With a total of 20 shutouts on the season, the Engineers boasted the strongest defense in Div. III this year and had beaten the Ephs 3-1 in Williamstown on Oct. 13.

But this season, the Ephs (10–5–3, 6–3–1 in the NESCAC) have been resilient in their most challenging moments. With their season on the line, Alison Lu ’20 scored late to tie the match at 1, and the women went on to beat MIT 5-4 in the penalty shootout, advancing to the third round of the NCAA tournament.

“I think we’ve shown how much we really care about both the sport and the team by how we continue to show up even when things get challenging, and honestly show up even more when things get challenging,” tri-captain defender Liz Webber ’20 said at a press conference after Sunday’s penalty shootout victory. “I think the team this year more than ever has shown tremendous resilience.”

It was the second goal of the season for Lu, who missed all of 2018 due to injury but has a history of scoring big goals in big moments. After all, 11 of her 26 career goals have been game-winners, including the decider 2-1 victory over Amherst on Sept. 28. 

“Alison Lu is at her best when the stakes are the highest,” head coach Michelyne Pinard said of the senior forward, who led the team with 12 goals in 2017. “So happy for her to have a moment like that after being injured for about a year and a half… And it just came at the perfect moment for us.”

The Ephs came into the season as the two-time reigning national champions and the nation’s top-ranked team, but they “struggled through September,” according to Pinard.  Additionally, an injury crisis has weakened the team’s depth — typically one of its strongest qualities.

“It’s been a challenge of a season injury-wise. Last year, I didn’t think it could get any worse, and it’s gotten worse,” Pinard said after Oct. 19’s 2-0 win over Bates. “The steadiness of the senior class, and the inclusiveness – they’ve really empowered the younger players because we’ve really had to lean on all 27 people, and they’ve really done a good job leading that and believing in everyone.”

The women pulled together a five-match winning streak and later advanced to the NESCAC tournament semifinals, where they fell 2-0 to No. 9 Middlebury.

Yet the team’s response to that defeat, for Pinard, was a testament to its character.

“I knew this team had something special in it the day after we lost at Middlebury in the NESCAC semifinals,” Pinard said. “That practice was the most competitive, the most joyful, most spirited practice of our season. In that moment, I knew this team is capable of beating really great teams, like MIT.”

Now, the Ephs are playing their best soccer at the right time. 

Having received an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament, the women shut out Gettysburg (13–5–1, 6–3–1 in the Centennial Conference) on Saturday. The Ephs got an early goal from forward Claire Tolliver ’23, Brianna Binder ’22 doubled the advantage just before halftime and goalkeeper Chelsea Taylor ’22 saved each of the 3 shots on goal she faced. The women dominated possession, outshooting the Bullets 24-6.

“We’ve been practicing and playing with a focus and confidence that we haven’t seen all year,” Pinard said after Saturday’s win. “All the team wanted was a chance to dance in the NCAA tournament, and we’re trying to make the most of it.”

Sunday brought a tougher test, and the Ephs managed just 1 shot in the first half, while the Engineers produced 9 shots and forced 5 saves from Taylor.

“This MIT team is one of the best teams I’ve seen in Div. III women’s soccer,” Pinard said. “We were on our heels in the first half.”

Defender Nkem Iregbulem ’20 prevented an MIT goal in the 11th minute, clearing a shot off the goal line after a corner kick. Iregbulem, a First Team All-NESCAC selection this year, reacted quickly to keep the ball out.

Engineer forward Karenna Groff scored just three minutes into the second half, but the Ephs did not panic — not even late in the match, when mere minutes stood between them and the end of their season.

“I know we can do anything, and I’m always reminded of that,” said midfielder Mikayla Kappes ’21, who scored the winning penalty in the shootout. “I remember even in the second half, when we were down 1-0, I was surprised that I was just enjoying the game still… I was not nervous. I think that’s just kind of a testament to how much everyone believes that we can make it happen, and we did.”

“I knew we had more in us,” Pinard said of the team’s second-half adjustments. “We saw the rhythm that they had. We could press a little bit higher. As soon as we started to do that, I think we got a little bit of a rhythm and were able to get behind them a little bit. As we did that, we gained confidence, and when this team is playing confidently, I think we can beat good teams.”

Lu notched the equalizer in the 87th minute, running onto a pass from forward Rain Condie ’22 and beating the goalkeeper at the far post. Taylor came up with 3 saves in extra time to keep the match level at 1-1. 

In the shootout, Pinard called upon Leyla Kamshad ’23 — who had not played since Oct. 19 — to defend the Eph goal. The first-year delivered, guessing right to make a save on MIT’s second attempt. The women converted each of their five attempts, storming the field in celebration after Kappes netted her shot.

Reflecting on the team’s season at Sunday’s postgame press conference, Pinard thought back to that practice after the Middlebury loss.

“Not only are they capable of winning big games and going far, but I’ll be honest: If my career had ended after that practice, I would’ve been content,” said Pinard, now in her 18th and final season leading the Ephs. “Do I want to keep playing? Absolutely. Do I think this team can keep going? Absolutely. But really with the joy that this team’s playing with, even though it’s been so challenging, just means the world to me. I love them and just want to play as long as we can.”

This season is the last for the team’s seven seniors, Iregbulem, Lu, Sarah Kelley ’20, Whitney Lincoln ’20 and tri-captains Sarah Scire, Erika Jung ’20 and Webber.

 Sixteen teams remain in the tourname. The women will face Tufts in the third round next Sunday at 1:30 in Grantham, Pennsylvania. 

Down a goal with just over three minutes remaining in Sunday’s game, No. 24 women’s soccer needed an improbable goal to keep its season alive.

No. 5 MIT (20–1–3, 10–0–0 in the NEWMAC), its opponent, had won 14 straight matches, had not conceded a goal since Oct. 19 and had not lost since Sept. 3. With a total of 20 shutouts on the season, the Engineers boasted the strongest defense in Div. III this year and had beaten the Ephs 3-1 in Williamstown on Oct. 13.

But this season, the Ephs (10–5–3, 6–3–1 in the NESCAC) have been resilient in their most challenging moments. With their season on the line, Alison Lu ’20 scored late to tie the match at 1, and the women went on to beat MIT 5-4 in the penalty shootout, advancing to the third round of the NCAA tournament.

“I think we’ve shown how much we really care about both the sport and the team by how we continue to show up even when things get challenging, and honestly show up even more when things get challenging,” tri-captain defender Liz Webber ’20 said at a press conference after Sunday’s penalty shootout victory. “I think the team this year more than ever has shown tremendous resilience.”

It was the second goal of the season for Lu, who missed all of 2018 due to injury but has a history of scoring big goals in big moments. After all, 11 of her 26 career goals have been game-winners, including the decider 2-1 victory over Amherst on Sept. 28. 

“Alison Lu is at her best when the stakes are the highest,” head coach Michelyne Pinard said of the senior forward, who led the team with 12 goals in 2017. “So happy for her to have a moment like that after being injured for about a year and a half… And it just came at the perfect moment for us.”

The Ephs came into the season as the two-time reigning national champions and the nation’s top-ranked team, but they “struggled through September,” according to Pinard.  Additionally, an injury crisis has weakened the team’s depth — typically one of its strongest qualities.

“It’s been a challenge of a season injury-wise. Last year, I didn’t think it could get any worse, and it’s gotten worse,” Pinard said after Oct. 19’s 2-0 win over Bates. “The steadiness of the senior class, and the inclusiveness – they’ve really empowered the younger players because we’ve really had to lean on all 27 people, and they’ve really done a good job leading that and believing in everyone.”

The women pulled together a five-match winning streak and later advanced to the NESCAC tournament semifinals, where they fell 2-0 to No. 9 Middlebury.

Yet the team’s response in the face of that defeat, for Pinard, was a testament to its character.

“I knew this team had something special in it the day after we lost at Middlebury in the NESCAC semifinals,” Pinard said. “That practice was the most competitive, the most joyful, most spirited practice of our season. In that moment, I knew this team is capable of beating really great teams, like MIT.”

Now, the Ephs are playing their best soccer at the right time. 

Having received an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament, the women shut out Gettysburg (13–5–1, 6–3–1 in the Centennial Conference) on Saturday. The Ephs got an early goal from forward Claire Tolliver ’23, Brianna Binder ’22 doubled the advantage just before halftime and goalkeeper Chelsea Taylor ’22 saved each of the 3 shots on goal she faced. The women dominated possession, outshooting the Bullets 24-6.

“We’ve been practicing and playing with a focus and confidence that we haven’t seen all year,” Pinard said after Saturday’s win. “All the team wanted was a chance to dance in the NCAA tournament, and we’re trying to make the most of it.”

Sunday brought a tougher test, and the Ephs managed just 1 shot in the first half, while the Engineers produced 9 shots and forced 5 saves from Taylor.

“This MIT team is one of the best teams I’ve seen in Div. III women’s soccer,” Pinard said. “We were on our heels in the first half.”

Defender Nkem Iregbulem ’20 prevented an MIT goal in the 11th minute, clearing a shot off the goal line after a corner kick. Iregbulem, a First Team All-NESCAC selection this year, reacted quickly to keep the ball out.

Engineer forward Karenna Groff scored just three minutes into the second half, but the Ephs did not panic — not even late in the match, when mere minutes stood between them and the end of their season.

“I know we can do anything, and I’m always reminded of that,” said midfielder Mikayla Kappes ’21, who scored the winning penalty in the shootout. “I remember even in the second half, when we were down 1-0, I was surprised that I was just enjoying the game still… I was not nervous. I think that’s just kind of a testament to how much everyone believes that we can make it happen, and we did.”

“I knew we had more in us,” Pinard said of the team’s second-half adjustments. “We saw the rhythm that they had. We could press a little bit higher. As soon as we started to do that, I think we got a little bit of a rhythm and were able to get behind them a little bit. As we did that, we gained confidence, and when this team is playing confidently, I think we can beat good teams.”

Lu notched the equalizer in the 87th minute, running onto a pass from forward Rain Condie ’22 and beating the goalkeeper at the far post. Taylor came up with 3 saves in extra time to keep the match level at 1-1. 

In the shootout, Pinard called upon Leyla Kamshad ’23 — who had not played since Oct. 19 — to defend the Eph goal. The first-year delivered, guessing right to make a save on MIT’s second attempt. The women converted each of their five attempts, storming the field in celebration after Kappes netted her shot.

Reflecting on the team’s season at Sunday’s postgame press conference, Pinard thought back to that practice after the Middlebury loss.

“Not only are they capable of winning big games and going far, but I’ll be honest: If my career had ended after that practice, I would’ve been content,” said Pinard, now in her 18th and final season leading the Ephs. “Do I want to keep playing? Absolutely. Do I think this team can keep going? Absolutely. But really with the joy that this team’s playing with, even though it’s been so challenging, just means the world to me. I love them and just want to play as long as we can.”

This season is the last for the team’s seven seniors, Sarah Kelley ’20, Whitney Lincoln ’20, Iregbulem, Lu and tri-captains Sarah Scire, Erika Jung ’20 and Webber

 16 teams remain in the tourname. The women will face Tufts in the third round next Sunday at 1:30 in Grantham, Pennsylvania.