One week after the No. 1 Washington University women’s soccer team overcame two early deficits in home playoff victories, the Bears will play at Francis Field again in an effort to advance to the semifinals in San Antonio. The Bears will take on No. 18 University of Puget Sound on Saturday, Nov. 23 at 11 a.m., and the winner of that game will battle the winner of a contest between No. 14 Thomas More College and Capital University on Sunday, Nov. 24 at 1:30 p.m. Here is a rundown of each team’s accomplishments this season as well as a key matchup for Wash. U. against each foe.

No. 1 Washington University

The Bears enter the third round of the NCAA tournament with 19 regular-season wins, which ties last year’s school record. They’ve won 13 straight games behind a diverse offensive attack, a strong defense and good goaltending by sophomore goalkeeper Amy French.

French and the defense in front of her may have allowed a combined three early goals to start the first two playoff games last week, but they’ve still only allowed seven goals over the course of the entire season. French could finish the season with the lowest goals-allowed average in Wash. U. history.

Offensively, the Bears do not rely on any one player to generate goal scoring opportunities. Instead, the Bears get shot attempts from many different players, using ball movement to find an open teammate. Seven different players have scored at least seven goals on the season, and six Bears scored goals in the opening two playoff rounds.

No. 18 University of Puget Sound

Puget Sound (17-2-2) stumbled out of the gate early this season, winning only two of its first six games for a 2-2-2 record. However, the Loggers regrouped and went on a tear, winning 15 straight contests and clinching their 12th straight Northwest Conference championship.

Over the last 15 games, Puget Sound has allowed only two goals, and last weekend, the Loggers shut out California Lutheran University 1-0 and outlasted No. 12 Hardin-Simmons University in a 1-0 double overtime game to advance to the third round. Puget Sound loves to play at home in Tacoma, Wash., where it is undefeated in 9 games. Unfortunately for the Loggers, they will have to test their shakier road record this weekend as they must travel more than 1,700 miles to Francis Field to take on the Bears.

Matchup to Watch: Wash. U. defense vs. Puget Sound midfielders Amalia Acorda-Fey and Kylie Beeson

This duo of Logger midfielders leads the team in goals scored this season. Sophomore Acorda-Fey, with nine goals scored, and senior Beeson, with seven, account for almost half of the team’s goals all season. Against St. Norbert’s Katie Vanden Avond, a goal-scoring machine, the Bears’ strategy was to follow her around with one defender for most of the early part of the game. Not only did Vanden Avond find the back of the net to saddle the Bears with their first deficit of the season, but this defensive strategy seemed to throw Wash. U.’s defense slightly out of balance. It wasn’t until the players changed their strategy that the Bears’ comeback began. Stopping Acorda-Fey and Beeson from generating offense for the Loggers will be crucial in Wash. U.’s third-round matchup.

No. 14 Thomas More College

If Wash. U. manages to defeat Puget Sound in the first round, it will take on either Thomas More or Capital in the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division III Tournament. The Saints (19-1-2) are winners of 14 straight games, having claimed their third straight Presidents’ Athletic Conference championship this season. With a more prolific offense than Puget Sound, the Saints were able to defeat Allegheny College and No. 24 Hanover College in the first and second rounds, respectively, of the tournament.

Thomas More’s offense averages just more than three goals per game and is led by sophomore forward Olivia Huber, who has scored 22 goals on the season, and senior forward Courtney Clark, who has added 14 of her own. Both of those marks are more than any Wash. U. player had this season. Additionally, the Thomas More defense has allowed only six goals all season, fewer than the Bears’ mark of seven goals allowed.

Matchup to Watch: French vs. Huber

Huber is not only a quantity scorer but an efficient one. Her 22 goals have come on only 67 shot attempts, meaning she succeeds on about one out of every three shots. For Wash. U. to win in a potential matchup with Thomas More, it will be up to the defense to limit Huber’s opportunities and also French to block, deflect or save Huber’s shots, which usually find their mark.

Capital University

Capital University (18-4-1) may be the only unranked team of the foursome playing on Francis Field this weekend, but the Crusaders won the Ohio Athletic Conference championship and boast two straight postseason victories—one in double overtime over the Bears’ University Athletic Association rival, the University of Chicago, as well as another over University of Wisconsin-Whitewater—to reach the third round of the NCAA tournament for the first time in school history.

Although Capital may be unranked, the Crusaders went on the road to Thomas More in early September and won 2-1 in double overtime.

Matchup to Watch: Wash. U. offense vs. Capital goalkeeper Maggie Donnellan

While the Crusaders have not had the best statistical season on the defensive end, Donnellan, their senior goalie, has played well of late. Donnellan has allowed zero goals in the team’s past five games, which included intense matchups in the OAC conference tournament and the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament.