GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Calvin University women's soccer team saw its season come to an end with a 3-1 loss to University of Chicago in the second round of the NCAA III Women's Soccer Tournament on Saturday at Zuidema Field.
 
The two teams were playing for the second time this season, with Calvin (15-3-2) looking for a repeat of a 3-1 win over Chicago (12-6-2) on September 14.
 
The Knights scored three times in the first half of the first meeting, but the Maroons were able to get the fast start in the rematch on a goal from Ashley Hayase in the 29th minute to put Chicago in front 1-0.
 
Calvin struck back in the 36th minute when Cecilia McCarthy (Ypsilanti, Mich./Father Gabriel Richard) slipped a shot past Chicago keeper Sophie Pilarski after a long pass from Mikaela Waroway (Ann Arbor, Mich./Father Gabriel Richard) to tie the game 1-1.
 
After a critical save by Pilarski against McCarthy two minutes later kept the score tied, the Maroons stole back the momentum with a pair of goals right before the half. Jamie Nguyen put the Maroons in front in the 40th minute, and Avery Gallucci added Chicago's third goal with just 11 seconds remaining in the half to put the Maroons up 3-1 heading into the break.
 
While the Knights looked for traction early in the second half to cut into the deficit, the Maroons were up to the task and kept their two-goal advantage the rest of the way to secure the win and a spot in the Sweet 16.
 
Both teams generated chances throughout in an up and down game, with Chicago holding a 20-15 advantage in total shots and a 9-8 edge in shots on goal.
 
Waroway finished with four shots to go with her one assist to lead the Knights. Kalex Dodge (Jackson, Mich./Leslie) stopped six shots in goal for Calvin.
 
COACH'S COMMENT: "Congrats to University of Chicago," Calvin head women's soccer coach Emily Ottenhoff said. "I thought they came out with a lot of fight tonight and a good gameplan. I think they probably deserved the result tonight. I don't know if we were quite ready for the pressure they were going to bring, and they were able to put us away really early."
 
"You can't define your season on one result," Ottenhoff continued. "We've talked about 'What would it take to get to a Final Four and win a National Championship?' and it's incredibly hard, and we're going to keep trying. I said to our group that we've had some bumps this year. Some early results that didn't go our way and we weren't ready for it. We dug our heels in and I told them that we're a good team, and they kept working and they believed. And I think Chicago (in September) was our first game back where we started getting on a roll. We hadn't lost a game since September. So to say that one game in November is going to define our season, only one team gets to win a National Championship. Certainly we would love another weekend to hang out together and compete and stuff like that, but this is what happens in the NCAA Tournament. You play good teams, and whoever is the best on the night is the one that goes."