The WashU women’s soccer team won its third national championship in program history with a 2-1 win over Emory University on Dec. 6. (Courtesy of Brian Bishop Photography)

The 17 first-years and sophomores on the WashU women’s soccer team don’t know what it feels like to lose in a WashU jersey. Over the last two seasons, the Bears have played 49 times and have won or tied in every single game. 

After falling behind to No. 2 Emory University in the NCAA Division III women’s soccer championship game on Saturday, Dec. 6, the No. 1 Bears’ 735-day unbeaten streak appeared at risk of being snapped. With the Bears’ season on the line, a pair of underclassmen stepped up. With late goals from first-year fullback Monica Morales-Martinez and sophomore midfielder Cami Colpitts, the Bears took a 2-1 lead that they would never relinquish. 

The two goals, separated by just two minutes, secured the Bears’ second straight national championship and unbeaten season. The Bears became the first team to repeat as D-III national champions since Williams College in 2018. With the win, this iteration of the women’s soccer program has etched its name among the greatest teams in WashU athletics history. 

“It’s so exciting to win a national championship, and it’s very difficult to have it back-to-back,” head coach Jim Conlon said. “Me being speechless is hard to do, but this is special. It’s hard to put into words right now.” 

Coming off a marathon, 14-round penalty shootout victory against the University of Chicago two days prior, the Bears were faced with a tough national finals opponent that they knew well. In its University Athletic Association (UAA) conference game against Emory in October, WashU eked out a win on an 81st-minute goal by sophomore forward Olivia Clemons. 

For the second straight game, WashU fell into an early deficit. Emory opened the scoring in the 22nd minute with a goal from midfielder Madison Teng. From that moment on, the Bears were constantly on the front foot, but the Emory defense prevented the WashU breakthrough. Clemons broke through the Eagles’ backline twice, but Emory goalkeeper Sophia Garcia saved both of Clemons’ shots on goal. Despite going into the halftime break trailing, head coach Jim Conlon didn’t feel the need to make any changes to the game plan, instead emphasizing his belief in the team.

“I don’t know if there were a lot of adjustments. I think it was a lot of reminder to believe in what we’re capable of,” Conlon said after the match. 

Early in the second half, WashU kept up the pressure. In the 54th minute, the Bears thought they had tied the game when senior forward Grace Ehlert drove the ball home after a scrum in the box. But as the Bears were celebrating, the referee blew her whistle and called a foul on Ehlert, nullifying the goal. 

Ten minutes later, the Bears got their break. Clemons used her speed to break the first line of Emory defenders, and she smartly left a through ball for Morales-Martinez. The first-year, who nearly scored from 40 yards out in the Final Four, struck home a screamer from the edge of the box for just her second goal of the season. After outshooting Emory 8-1 in the early part of the second half, the Bears finally had the equalizing tally. 

“That goal was pretty memorable,” Morales-Martinez said. “The journey that we took to get here was so much deeper than I could have ever imagined.” 

Not even two minutes later, WashU took a lead that they would not give up. After winning the ball in the midfield, junior midfielder Sophie Viscovich made a short pass to  Colpitts. The sophomore winger curled the ball from beyond the arc past Garcia’s outstretched arm into the top-right corner. Suddenly, after not being able to score for nearly 70 minutes of play, WashU stormed back and took the lead. 

Instead of sitting back to defend its narrow lead, WashU remained on the front foot. The Bears completely dominated the attack, won nearly every ball in midfield, and held the No. 2 team in the nation shotless after taking the lead. With five minutes left, Clemons seemed to have broken her four-game goalless drought — the longest so far in her career — until a lengthy video review deemed the play offside. Nonetheless, the Bears defended effectively, playing out the clock to secure the program’s third-ever national title. 

After winning the national title last season, the Bears lost many key contributors, especially on defense. Without former first-team All-Americans Ally Hackett and Sidney Conner, the Bears had big shoes to fill entering the season. Sophomore transfer goalkeeper Kassidy Lanthier in the net and a retooled back line stepped up, and the Bears allowed just nine goals all season. Ahead of them, Viscovich and sophomore Kate Martin formed a dominant midfield that overwhelmed opponents and controlled the tempo of matches. Clemons, Ehlert, and senior Ella Koleno again led the line up front, while players like Colpitts and junior Madi Foley played key roles on the wings. 

“Right after we won the national championship last year, we were focused on 2025 … I think we’ve proven ourselves this year,” Colpitts said. “It hasn’t been as easy a path as last year, but that’s just our identity.”

  The Bears exceeded even the loftiest expectations with their second consecutive undefeated season and national championship win. Seniors Ehlert, Koleno, Kaci Karl, Kerrigan Ferland, and Marilee Karinshak will graduate as national champions. In their four years at WashU, they made the national championship three times. 

“They’ve been tremendous leaders to me,” Morales-Martinez said of the upperclassmen. “They have been the best family and have taught me all the ropes, so that has really helped me be able to come on the field and do my role.” 

WashU women’s soccer will return to St. Louis as a three-time national champion. The win is especially sweet to Colpitts, who won her second straight title on her birthday. 

“The whole team surprised me this morning as I walked out of my room for breakfast, with streamers and everything,” Colpitts said. “I said, ‘You guys know what I want for my birthday.’ And they were able to give it to me.” 

Editor-in-Chief Riley Herron contributed reporting to this article.