Contact: Nathan Cameron, Assistant Director of Athletic Communications, 563-588-7243

Nov. 20, 2021 - Hosting the NCAA Division III Women's Soccer Tournament for the second weekend in a row and making their first Sweet Sixteen appearance in nearly a decade, the No. 9 Loras College women's soccer team (21-0-1, 8-0-0 A-R-C) rewrote the history books as they advanced to the Elite Eight for the first time in program history with a 2-0 victory over the No. 13 Centre College Colonels. 

It was a high octane matchup in the Rock Bowl between the Duhawks and the Colonels, seeing both teams play a high-tempo pace of play but neither side found the back of the net in the first half. The Duhawks took control of the first half offensively, firing off eight total shots to the Colonels one as the teams went into the half time break at a scoreless stalemate. 

The Duhawks came out hot in the second half as NCAA Division III assists leader Payton McDonnell put a free kick into the box that deflected off of a Centre defender and found Emily Perhats, who settled the ball with her chest and hit a missle of a volley past Centre keeper Jonnelle Barron to shift the momentum and put the Duhawks up 1-0. 

Less than 10 minutes later, McDonnell continued to show her strength setting up scoring opportunities on set plays as she squared up for a corner kick in the 59th minute. McDonnell's corner soared into the box and hit off a Centre defender that saw the ball bounce around in the box before fifth year senior forward Brynn Jacobi tucked the ball home far post to give Loras a two-goal lead where the score stayed through the remainder of regulation to see the Duhawks advance to the Elite Eight for the first time in program history. 

Perhats' goal comes as her seventh of the season while Jacobi's marked her 10th. McDonnell improved her single-season assists record to 23 while inching closer to the career assists record, now with 51 to her name, two shy of the current record held by Michelle Wieser. Sophomore goalkeeper Kyndal Kells shined in net for the Duhawks, making six saves in the game to record her third straight shutout, bringing her total to 10 on the season and tying for fourth all-time with 13 career shutouts in just two seasons wearing the purple and gold. 

The Duhawks are slated to take on the University of Wisconsin - La Crosse Eagles in the Elite Eight matchup as they advanced on a penalty shootout victory over No. 6 Washington University in St. Louis. The game is scheduled to kick off at 1:00 PM inside the Rock Bowl. Beginning at 12:30 PM, the first 200 Loras College students will receive free admission to the game.