Shenandoah University Women's Soccer Advances to ODAC Semifinals

WINCHESTER, Va. — The Shenandoah University women's soccer team has advanced to the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) semifinals for the first time since 2022, following a 2-1 victory over Roanoke College on Saturday.

In their first home playoff game since 2016, the Hornets (11-6-3) took an early lead against the Maroons (9-9-1) by scoring two goals within the first 15 minutes.

In the sixth minute, sophomore and James Wood High School graduate McKenna Newcome found the net. After her initial shot was saved, teammate Kaitlyn Wahl assisted Newcome, who capitalized to put the Hornets ahead 1-0.

Just eight minutes later, Wahl seized a one-on-one opportunity with the goalkeeper, skillfully sending the ball through the keeper's legs to extend the lead to 2-0.

Roanoke responded with a goal in the 65th minute, narrowing the gap to 2-1. However, the Hornets' defense held firm for the remainder of the match.

Goalkeeper Morgan Musselman recorded three saves, contributing to Shenandoah's 16-7 shot advantage.

Looking ahead, the Hornets are set to face Virginia Wesleyan University in the ODAC semifinals on Wednesday. This marks the third consecutive postseason meeting between the two teams, with the Marlins having won the previous two encounters.

In other Shenandoah University sports news:

Women's Cross Country: The team secured a third-place finish at the ODAC Championships hosted by Bridgewater College. Maddy Chorney led the Hornets, earning First Team All-ODAC honors with a personal-best time of 22:45.6 in the 6K race.

Field Hockey: The 20th-ranked Hornets concluded their regular season with a 3-1 comeback victory over Virginia Wesleyan University. After trailing 1-0 at halftime, goals from Camryn Deleva and Reagan Flory secured the win, clinching the No. 2 seed for the ODAC Tournament.

Women's Volleyball: In a tri-match, Shenandoah split results, defeating St. Mary's College (Md.) 3-2 and falling to Lancaster Bible College 3-0. Standout performances included Hannah Hylton with 15 kills and 15 digs, and Ashlynn Spence contributing 11 kills and three blocks.

Wrestling: At the Tonee Ellis Memorial Invitational, three Hornet wrestlers placed in the top four of their respective weight classes. Hunter Ballantine secured third place at 157 pounds, while Sean Rinebolt and Jack Birth each earned fourth-place finishes at 141 and 184 pounds, respectively.

Women's Tennis: Competing in the Randolph WildCat Invitational, the Hornets achieved eight wins across 16 matches. Notably, Atlee Hilliard dominated her singles matches, winning both in straight sets.

As the fall sports season progresses, Shenandoah University's athletic teams continue to demonstrate resilience and competitive spirit across various disciplines.