PITTSBURGH, Pa. - The No. 5 Messiah women's soccer team is heading to the Elite Eight after a 1-0 victory over the No. 18 Emory Eagles on Saturday night. Korinne Kovatch headed home a corner kick goal in the 48th minute for the lone tally in the contest. With the victory, Messiah advances to play the Washington University in St. Louis Bears in the Sectional Final. This will be Messiah's 16th appearance in the Elite Eight in program history. All 16 appearances have come since 2000.
 
With the victory, Messiah improves to 20-1-2 on the season.
 
In the game, Emory actually registered a slim 8-5 advantage in shots, but it was Korinne Kovatch's header in the 48th minute that proved to be the difference maker. Rachael Tirjan delivered the corner to the head of Kovatch, who knocked the fed inside the right post for the score. The goal was Kovatch's eighth of the season.
 
As mentioned, Messiah will take on Washington University tomorrow evening at 6:00 p.m. in Pittsburgh, Pa. on the campus of Carnegie Mellon University.
 
How It Happened
The Falcons and Eagles played a back-and-forth opening half and despite neither team registering many shots on the scoresheet, Messiah had a number of quality chances. Early in the half, Messiah sent several feeds long down the sideline for Rachael Tirjan. On at least two occasions, Tirjan got a quality touch on the feed and made her way into the box. While her pressure or eventual crosses did not result in a shot, Messiah was pressuring.
 
In the 24th minute, Tirjan registered Messiah's only shot of the half. The Eagles attempted to clear a ball out of the box, but the clearance went right to Tirjan at the top of the box. Tirjan took a touch to her left and ripped a shot right at the keeper. Later in the half, Messiah had another moment of quality when Kristian Akselsen sent a through ball down the right side. The Emory defense got a touch on the through ball and sent it back to the keeper before Messiah could run on to it and it was cleared away.
 
Emory had a handful of chances as well. In the opening half, the Eagles registered five shots, putting one on frame in the 38th minute that Ava Wert saved. Thanks to that Wert save, the match turned to the second half scoreless.
 
Just as they did last weekend, Messiah found the goal they needed in the second half. This time it came early in the half after the Falcons earned a corner kick in the 48th minute. Brianna Seip ran down a ball on the endline on the right side and sent a cross into the box that an Emory defender cleared over the endline for a corner kick. Rachael Tirjan delivered the corner kick from the right side to the middle of the box for Korinne Kovatch. With a defender on her back, Kovatch crouched down, eventually falling to the turf, and got a head on the delivery. Her header tucked inside the right post, finding the back of the net for the 1-0 Messiah lead.
 
Over the course of the next 40 minutes, Emory attempted to find the equalizer with shots on frame in the 57th, 67th, and 80th minutes. Ava Wert was up for the challenge making all three saves.
 
Messiah had their chances to double the lead with shots from Kylie Firestone in the 60th minute blocked, an attempt from Korinne Kovatch saved in the 79th minute, and a shot from Kenzie Spodnik high in the 83rd minute. While none of these shots resulted in a goal, Messiah's defense hung tough and earned the 1-0 victory to move into Sunday's Elite Eight.
 
What's Up Next
The Falcons will square off with a familiar foe, the Washington University in St. Louis Bears. While the Falcons and Bears have only met three times in their program's history, this will be the earliest the two national powers have ever squared off in the NCAA Tournament. Twice the Falcons and Bears have met in the National Championship Game and one other time met in the Final Four. Messiah is 1-1-1 all-time against WashU.
 
Sunday night, the two teams will meet in the Elite Eight on the campus of Carnegie Mellon University after WashU defeated the Tartans 2-1 in the other Sweet 16 game in Pittsburgh. Game time for tomorrow's Elite Eight is scheduled for 6:00 p.m.