A storybook women’s soccer season ended with a 1-0 loss to top-ranked Messiah College in the NCAA Division III championship game Dec. 5.
The Bears ran into a juggernaut in Messiah College. The Falcons, who were making their sixth straight trip to the Final Four, outshot WUSTL 16-6 and had a 2-0 advantage in corner kicks. Messiah allowed just seven goals in its entire 2009 season and holds a 56-match unbeaten streak.
The Bears reached the final because of a thrilling win over No. 21 Lynchburg College Dec. 4. In that game, senior Carter Schwarberg drilled home the game-winning penalty kick as the Bears advanced with a 4-3 shootout win over Lynchburg.
“This was for my team, and I wanted to help them advance to the next round,” Schwarberg said after the game. “It was just another penalty kick for me, so I just had to calm myself down to put it where I wanted.”
Senior Libby Held and sophomores Emma Brown and Lee Ann Felder were named to the NCAA championship all-tournament team.
Head coach Jim Conlon was pleased with his team’s effort.
“The seniors set the tone for the entire season and came in very focused,” Conlon said. “We put together a plan for this season, and the student-athletes followed through with it.”
The Bears ended with a 17-4-3 overall record and had the highest finish in school history. The team graduates eight seniors: Emily Bylsma, Paula Davis, Elyse Hanly, Held, Becca Heymann, Sam Murphy, Caryn Rosoff and Carter Schwarberg.
In four seasons, this group guided the Bears to a 66-15-5 (.797) overall record with four NCAA tournament appearances and four University Athletic Association conference championships.
Men’s basketball wins Lopata Classic
The No. 1 men’s basketball team won the 26th Annual Lopata Classic tournament Dec. 4 and 5 at the WU Field House.
The Bears defeated NAIA No. 5 McKendree University, 82-67, in the tournament semifinal Dec. 4 and topped Pomona-Pitzer Colleges, 77-50, in the tournament final Dec. 5.
Graduate student Sean Wallis was named the Lopata Classic Most Valuable Player for the first time in his career. He averaged 17.5 points and 6.5 assists per game in the Bears’ two wins.
Joining Wallis on the all-tournament team were seniors Cameron Smith and Aaron Thompson. Smith scored 14 points and was 4-of-4 from behind the arc in the win over Pomona-Pitzer.
Thompson’s best game of the weekend was a 21-point performance against McKendree; he scored eight points with seven assists and four rebounds against Pomona-Pitzer.
WUSTL (5-0) returns to action at 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 12, when it hosts Augustana College at the WU Field House.
Women’s basketball defeats Elmhurst
Five different players scored in double-figures to lead a balanced offensive attack as the No. 5 women’s basketball team defeated Elmhurst College, 77-60, Dec. 5 in Elmhurst, Ill.
Senior Janice Evans scored seven points to spark a 9-2 run to give the Bears early command of the game, and WUSTL went into the half with a 36-29 advantage.
A 16-6 Bears’ run to start the second half resulted in a 17-point lead, and WUSTL would lead by as many as 27 points late in the second half.
Junior Kathryn Berger led WUSTL offensively with 15 points, and junior Kelsey Robb tied her career high with 14 points. Junior Alex Hoover, senior Zoe Unruh and Evans all finished with 11 points, and the Bears shot 40 percent from the field in the win, sinking eight 3-point baskets.
WUSTL (5-1) returns to action at 7 p.m. Dec. 18, when it hosts North Park University at the WU Field House.
Swimming competes at Wheaton
The men’s swimming team placed third out of seven schools and the women’s swimming team was fourth out of six at the Wheaton Invitational Dec. 4 and 5.
Senior Alex Beyer had the best performance of the meet for the WUSTL men, tallying three NCAA Division III championship automatic qualifying times in addition to a pair of provisional cuts.
His automatic times came in the 500-yard freestyle (4:27.07), the 200-yard freestyle (1:38.72) and the 400-yard individual medley (3:58.43), while his NCAA “B”-cut swims came in the 200-yard breaststroke (2:05.68) and the 100-yard freestyle (46.24).
Senior Jessie Lodewyk tallied three NCAA provisional swims for the WUSTL women. She won the 200-yard freestyle (1:55.33) and was the runner-up in the 500-yard freestyle (5:01.59) and the 1,650-yard freestyle (17:22.90).
Both teams will be back in action for a dual meet with Lindenwood University Jan. 8 at Millstone Pool.