NCAA Bracket
Johns Hopkins blanked Stevens 2-0 while Swarthmore outlasted Case Western in penalty kicks in the second round of the NCAA Division III Women's Soccer Tournament on Sunday night. Two Centennial teams will compete in the Sweet 16 for the fifth time in conference history, and the first time since 2019.
In Baltimore, Md., 19th-ranked Johns Hopkins scored a goal in each half and the Blue Jay defense notched its 13th shutout of the season as the Blue Jays knocked off Stevens, 2-0, at Homewood Field Sunday night. With the win, the Blue Jays advance to the Sweet 16 for the 13th time in program history, including the fourth time in five seasons under head coach Dan Weiler. Johns Hopkins improves to 43-20-3 all-time in the tournament, including 24-2 at Homewood Field.
The Blue Jays (17-4-1) had the better of the play in the opening half and capitalized on one of their two corners before the break in the 27
th minute. Graduate student Kel Kitamura's offering into the box drifted towards the back post about four yards off the endline. There, it was sophomore Carolyn Johnson who was able to win a header between a pair of defenders and drive home the game's first goal.
Caroline Marcus grabbed an assist on the Blue Jays' second goal as she controlled a bouncing ball in traffic before spinning a pass back to Maria Romo-Nichols, whose chip to the far post from 15 yards out eluded a diving
Kenny Donley and doubled Hopkins' lead.
The Blue Jays advance to the round of 16, where they will take on Emory on Saturday, November 22. The Hopkins-Emory game and the Washington and Lee-Pomona Pitzer game will comprise a four-team sectional at Washington and Lee in Lexington, Va.
In Cleveland, Ohio, 13th-ranked Swarthmore advanced past sixth-ranked Case Western Reserve with a 1-1 decision in a shootout on Sunday night. The Garnet blanked the Spartans 3-0 in penalty kicks to stun the host school.
Aminah Evans, Liesel Blau and Celia Kanellakos answered the call, burying the first three penalty kicks for the Garnet. Lila Travers, who entered the game late in the second half after an injury to Dahlia Bedward, was equally as perfect. The senior rose to the occasion with one save in the shootout, while the Spartans missed wide on their other two attempts.
Charlotte Carleton helped send the Garnet to overtime with the team's lone score in regulation. Carleton opened the scoring in the sixth minute with her fourth goal of the weekend. The junior has already surpassed her regular-season goal total in this postseason run, entering this weekend's action with three goals and exiting with seven.
The Garnet battled in another gritty, team effort. Case Western Reserve tied the game in the 19th minute and maintained pressure with a 23-13 shot advantage. However, Swarthmore overcame an injury to its starting goalie, a red card in the second half and an intense road atmosphere to persevere and advance past the Spartans.
The Garnet will take its postseason run to Chicago in the Round of 16, squaring off against Carleton College. The pod will be hosted by No. 7 University of Chicago, who draw No. 17 Cal Lutheran in Saturday's opener.
