However you describe it, the result was a season-ending, 5-0 loss by the Westminster women's soccer team against host school and No.1 seed Washington University in the NCAA Division-III tournament here on Saturday.
The Blue Jays, who advanced to the tournament after earning an automatic bid by winning the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference in double overtime over Greenville College, found the offensive door firmly shut early in the first-round match and could never quite get on track. The Bears were relentless in their attack, keeping the ball on Westminster's end of the field for most of the match.
Washington University outshot Westminster 48-0 and tallied a 16-0 corner kick advantage over the Blue Jays. Sarah Cradick played all 90 minutes in goal, making 13 saves.
With the loss, Westminster ends its season with a 11-5-3 record. Washington University (18-0) moves on to the second round of the Division III tournament.
Despite the loss, first-year coach Wendy Sanchez had high praise for her team, saying what they were able to accomplish was "truly incredible" and that every player was "key components" that contributed to the overall success of the squad.
"This season has been a remarkable journey for our team, program and Westminster," Sanchez said. "Our seniors – Gracie (Koonce), Kat (Hammond) and Heidi (Gundy) – will leave their last year setting the bar very high and our underclassmen will have a platform to continue to build upon."
