Up two goals to nil against No. 6 Wheaton College (Ill.) with just 18 minutes to go, the Washington University women’s soccer team had a trip to the NCAA semifinals within its sights. In just a handful of minutes, however, that view vanished, as The Thunder scored three goals in 2:16.

The Washington University women’s soccer team struck hard and fast on its way to two wins in the first weekend of the postseason. The Bears picked up the first Saturday night with a 2-0 win against Thomas More College, and on Sunday evening they defeated University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh 2-0 to advance to the Sweet Sixteen.

With the regular season successes of the Washington University volleyball, cross country and men’s and women’s soccer teams, a postseason berth was essentially a foregone conclusion for all four teams.

The Washington University women’s soccer team, ranked fourteenth, defeated No. 25 University of Chicago for the first time since 2006 to clinch second place in the University Athletic Association standings. Wash. U. won 1-0 behind sophomore Jen Reed’s third goal of the season. She scored unassisted from 35 yards out, blasting the ball into the top corner of the net.

Sophomore back Jen Reed scored in the 76th minute to push the No. 14 Washington University women’s soccer team past the No. 25 University of Chicago in Chicago on Saturday afternoon. The win earned the Bears second place in the University Athletic Association.

A major reason the No. 14 Washington University women’s soccer team is 12-4 on the season is a potent scoring attack that is averaging 2.81 goals per game. Sophomore wing midfielder Lauren Steimle is helping lead the way.

The No. 9 Washington University women’s soccer team scored four second half goals to stun Webster University in a come-from-behind 4-1 victory. Senior Emma Brown scored twice and junior Clara Jacques became the all-time wins leader for the Bears.

The Washington University women’s soccer team scored three goals in the second half to pull out a 3-0 victory over Carnegie Mellon University in their University Athletic Association season opener. Freshman Anna Zambricki provided the breakthrough for the Bears when she scored her ninth goal of the season off a through ball from senior Emma Brown in the 62nd minute.

On Saturday evening, No. 4 Wheaton College defeated the No. 12 Washington University women’s soccer team, 2-0, off of two second-half penalty kicks. “It was a great game,” head coach Jim Conlon said. “Wheaton is a talented team and they really made us play to our assets.” In the first half, the two unbeaten teams were evenly matched.

Trailing by two goals at halftime, the No. 16 ranked Washington University’s women’s soccer team stormed back in the second half to top DePauw University 3-2 on Friday and remain undefeated.