Junior midfielder Meryl McKenna has had a phenomenal season with the Bears this fall. She has scored four goals and assisted once. (Maddix Cradlebaugh | Student Life)

It may have taken 90 tense minutes and a little bit of help from division rivals, but after a stalemate in the regular season finale, the No. 2 Washington University women’s soccer team clinched the 2023 University Athletic Association (UAA) women’s soccer conference title with a 0-0 draw against conference rival University of Chicago. The Bears have now won eight of the last nine UAA titles.

As the final horn blew, the team stayed on the field, eagerly awaiting the result of the Carnegie Mellon University vs. Case Western Reserve University game that was wrapping up in Pittsburgh. When that match ended in a scoreless tie just two minutes later, Coach Jim Conlon approached the team members to let them know that they had clinched sole ownership of the UAA title.

The Bears will now shift their focus to their pursuit of the national title, beginning at home Saturday, November 11 vs. Maryville College, a liberal arts college in Tennessee. The two schools met for the first time in 2019, when the Bears won their first-round matchup 4-0. This season, Maryville went an impressive 15-3-3, but it plays in the Collegiate Conference of the South, one of the less competitive divisions in NCAA women’s soccer.

WashU is also no stranger to postseason play. Over the last decade and a half, the team has found success in national-tournament play, making it to or past the quarterfinals nine times and winning the National Championship in 2016.

Saturday’s game may have given UChicago the opportunity to play spoiler to the Bears’ division hopes, but the Bears held strong against a tough opponent, drawing UChicago for the fourth consecutive time. While the Maroons finished sixth in the UAA after the draw, their placement was more of a testament to the strength of the conference — Chicago finished the season at 9-2-7 overall but went an even better 8-1-2 in non-conference matchups. Chicago was able to earn an at-large bid to the tournament, where it will play North Central College. Five other UAA teams received at-large bids: Case Western Reserve University, Rochester University, Carnegie Mellon University, New York University, and Emory University.

 In the Saturday morning matchup, WashU dominated the ball, leading in time of possession, shots, and shots on goal. Freshman Sophie Viscovich led the team with four shots, two coming early in the first half, while sophomore midfielder Grace Ehlert nearly connected on two shots on goal. Though the Bears outshot the Maroons 12-4 in the contest, they were unable to find the back of the net and held scoreless for just the second time all season.

In the 19th minute, senior goalkeeper Sidney Conner made a save on a well-placed ball from UChicago midfielder Kaitlyn Gomez. It was one of just two saves Conner would have to make all game, in what wound up being her 14th shutout of the season.

After giving up just two goals all season, Conner finishes the regular season with a goals-against average of just 0.13, far and away the best single-season mark in school history. Conner finishes her regular-season career as one of the most decorated goalies in school history and should get an All-American nod.

UChicago threatened a few times late, but the Bears were ultimately able to hold off their rivals, and the game ended in a scoreless draw. 

In a season where the No. 2 Bears have established themselves as one of the strongest teams in the country, they have faced some challenges recently. Last week, they conceded their first loss of the season against No. 6 Rochester, and this week, they were held to their second draw of the season. Though they have proven their strength throughout the season, the Bears will hope to reinvigorate their potent attack and return to winning ways in the NCAA Division III playoffs.

The Bears’ quest for a national title will continue with their first-round matchup on Saturday evening as they face off under the lights at Francis Olympic Field. If they win, they will face off against the winner of Sewanee and Hanover on Sunday, Nov. 12.