Sophomore forward Olivia Clemons scored in the Bears’ 3-0 win over Carnegie Mellon. (Riley Herron | Editor-in-Chief)

The WashU women’s soccer team has been nothing short of dominant this season. The reigning national champions have a 13-0-1 record and have not conceded a goal on Francis Field since November of last year. In their first four home games this season, the WashU women’s soccer team has outscored its opponents 21-0. On Sunday, Oct. 19, they added to this streak with a 3-0 win against No. 18 Carnegie Mellon University. 

With the win, WashU takes sole possession of first place in the University Athletic Association (UAA) standings ahead of a weekend clash with nationally ranked No. 1 Emory University.

On Sunday, strong winds reaching up to 20 miles per hour created an obstacle for the Bears against a talented Tartan team. However, it was the Bears’ speed and dominant attack that allowed them to end up on top. 

WashU got off to an early start when junior midfielder Sophie Viscovich scored the first goal of the day in the fourth minute from an assist by senior forward Ella Koleno. Koleno managed a pass right to Viscovich for a straight shot to the top right of the goal. 

The rest of the first half proved to be a tough battle as the Tartans had their fair share of attacks against the Bears defense. Sophomore goalkeeper Kassidy Lanthier faced a corner kick followed by a quick shot on goal early in the game. The Tartans managed a couple of more free kicks and shots, but ended the half with only three shots.

“We needed to be efficient with our movements and diligent with our defense, and I thought our team did a really nice job of that today,” head coach Jim Conlon said in a postgame press conference on FloSports. 

During the second half, the Bears kept up their offensive pressure. Just over five minutes into the half, sophomore Olivia Clemons received and quickly dribbled up the ball from around the 30-yard mark. Her shot reached the bottom left corner of the goal, putting the Bears up 2-0 and giving Clemons her 10th goal of the season.

Continuing this force, the Bears defense managed a through ball after a failed attempt by the Tartans offense, which put the ball in perfect scoring position. First-year Heidi Fesler scored the Bears’ third goal in the 71st minute off a strong leading pass from Koleno. This marked Fesler’s fifth goal of the season and Koleno’s ninth assist of the season.

“I think she [Koleno] did a great job being super unselfish,” Viscovich said in a postgame press conference. “Obviously, a goal didn’t happen if Ella [Koleno] didn’t make the right decision, so that was great on her part.” 

With 30 seconds left in the game, Carnegie Mellon sent a corner kick far past the goal. This was their final attempt to get on the board. 

The Bears finished with a total of 14 shots, compared to the Tartans’ three. Seven of the Bears shots were on goal, for the Tartans, only two. Lanthier was able to save both attempts by the Tartans, making today’s win her fourth clean sheet. 

With a current UAA record of 3-0, the Bears will face a major test against two ranked opponents on Oct. 24 and 26. They’ll first travel to Rochester, New York, to face the No. 21 University of Rochester, whom they beat 2-0 in the 2024 season. The Bears will stay on the road for a match against No. 1 Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, on Oct. 26. This weekend’s games present a crucial challenge for the Bears amidst their bid to make program history. If they win against or draw with Rochester, WashU will extend its unbeaten streak to 40 games, dating back to the beginning of the 2024 season.