The Emory University women’s soccer team moved on to the 2024 NCAA Division III Women’s Soccer Championships Final Four on Nov. 24. The Eagles will compete in the national semifinals, which take place on Dec. 6, for the second time in program history.
Emory beat No. 11 Loras College (Iowa) 4-3 in a penalty shootout after the game ended in a 1-1 tie. The Eagles scored four out of five penalty kicks, with successful shots from freshman forward Mikayla Camp, sophomore forward Kaitlyn Nimmer, sophomore midfielder and defender Madison Teng and junior defender Michelle Davidson. On Loras’s last penalty kick, junior goalkeeper Sophia Garcia jumped and blocked the attempt. With her help, the Eagles successfully moved on from the Sweet Sixteen.
The Eagles faced No. 18 Amherst College (Mass.) for their Elite Eight game the following day. The opening kickoff was a testament to how high-stakes the matchup would be against difficult opposition. In just the first 25 seconds, the Amherst Mammoths put two shots on frame and drew a penalty kick.
Garcia was key to keeping the score at 0-0, blocking the initial shot on frame and diving to stop the penalty kick. With Davidson blocking Amherst’s second shot on frame, the Eagles prevented an early goal from the Mammoths. Teng said Garcia’s confidence set the tone for the rest of the game.
“She said to our team before, ‘Get the deflection,’ because she knew she was going to save the ball,” Teng said. “That got me going … Especially after her saving it we were like, ‘Okay, this is a sign for us to win this game.’”
In the 38th minute, the Eagles found an opportunity to score. Teng passed the ball to Camp, who used her footwork and speed to move around an Amherst defender. Camp then found Teng, who shot the ball to the lower right post to bring the score to 1-0. Camp said that the goal was possible because of the trust the team has in each other and the players’ abilities to make the most out of opportunities.
“I trust the people in the box, whoever is there, to finish this ball,” Camp said. “Maddie [Teng] was the one who ended up finishing the goal, a great strike by her … just a really good team effort.”
Emory was able to hold off Amherst’s attacks and create more scoring opportunities in the second half. Freshman forward Emory Bozzuti and Camp attempted shots to double Emory’s lead but were unsuccessful. Garcia blocked a strong shot from Amherst in the 72nd minute, leaping to save the ball with one hand. With their strong defense and aggressive offense, the Eagles secured a 1-0 win.
Emory will face No. 11 William Smith College (N.Y.) in Las Vegas on Dec. 6 for the Final Four game. Camp said the team has been bringing the same intensity in practice to prepare for the big semifinal matchup.
“We went into practice with high energy,” Camp said. “Everyone was in a good mood and setting the tone high because we know what’s expected out of us in just a few days.”
The Eagles are not only aiming to win against the William Smith Herons but to develop overall as a team. Teng said that facing tough opponents will help the team’s future growth.
“We know that our competition ahead of us is going to be really good,” Teng said. “After those games, we know that we’re going to be better … Obviously,[the] number one goal this year is to win a [national championship], but ultimately just develop our team and see what we can do in the future as well.”
