GRANTHAM, Pa. – On Saturday afternoon, the eighth-ranked Messiah University women's soccer team fell in a thrilling overtime Elite Eight game, 1-0 to the top-ranked Bears of WashU. The first half was a back-and-forth battle, with both teams controlling play for periods of time, but neither could get on the board and the game remained tied at the half. The Bears controlled play for most of the second half and sent three shots on goal, but Ava Wert made three saves to help the Falcons force overtime. The Bears scored the game-winner in the first overtime to earn the 1-0 win.

First Half
After some back-and-forth play, the Falcons got the first shot on goal in the game in the 18th minute. Brittany Laird ripped a shot towards the top of the goal, but the Bears goalkeeper a great save to keep the Falcons off the board early. Right after the save, the Falcons earned a corner. Hannah Adair sent the corner in, and it bounced off the back post and off a Bears' defender and then out of the goal to keep the game tied. The Bears got their best chance of the first half with a header off a corner, but Ava Wert made the save to keep the game scoreless in the 33rd minute. The Bear continued the pressure on the Falcons in the final seven minutes of the half with two shots on goal, but Wert made two saves to keep the game tied at zero headed into the half.
 
Second Half
The two teams continued to battle in the second half, and the Bears got the first chance in the 62nd minute with a shot on goal, but Ava Wert made another save to keep the game tied. The bears continued the pressure with two more shots on goal, but Wert once again stood tall in goal for the Falcons and kept the game scoreless in the 70th minute. The Falcons gained their footing late in the second half, with a great chance from Mia Libby in the 85th minute, but the shot went wide and the two teams remained scoreless heading into overtime.
 
Overtime
After the Falcons could not convert on a corner, the Bears went on the attack and got a shot on goal, but Ava Wert continued her great day in goal with another save. The Bears kept the pressure on the Falcons defense and eventually scored the game-winner in the 98th minute to advance to the Final Four.
 
Stats
The Falcons totaled 10 shots with one shot on goal. The Bears tallied 20 shots with eight shots on goal. The Bears earned eight corner kicks to the Falcons' three. Ava Wert earned the start in goal for the Falcons and made seven saves.
 
2025 Season Recap
The Falcons end the 2025 season with a 22-3 overall record including their seventh-straight Conference Championship. The Falcons advanced to their fourth-straight Sweet Sixteen and their third Elite Eight in their last four seasons.