MEDFORD, MA (November 19, 2025) - For the sixth time in program history, the Tufts University women's soccer team is on to the NCAA Tournament "Sweet 16" as the Jumbos travel to Vermont this weekend.
Tufts (16-1-3) will play host host Middlebury College (13-3-3) on Saturday at 11:00 AM in the first Sweet 16 game of the weekend. The University of Mary Washington (13-3-5) and Penn State University Harrisburg (16-5-4) meet in the other Sweet 16 game at Middlebury on Saturday at 1:30 PM. The winners will play in the "Elite 8" on Sunday at 1:00 PM with a berth into the "Final Four" on the line.
NCAA Women's Soccer 2nd and 3rd Round Details:
Tournament Website
Dates: November 22-23, 2025 -
NCAA Bracket
Location: Middlebury College's Allan Dragone Track & Field Complex (Middlebury, VT) |
Directions
Live Coverage:
Video | Stats
In the final NPI rankings on November 9, from which tournament berths were based, Tufts was #3, Middlebury was at #14, Mary Washington was #39 and Penn State Harrisburg #71.
Head coach
Martha Whiting's Jumbos opened NCAA play at home this past weekend, defeating Lesley University 7-0 in the first round and then eliminating NESCAC foe Wesleyan University 2-0 in the second round. In their 12th NCAA appearance overall, the Jumbos now have a 21-9-5 record in those games. They are in the tournament for the fourth straight season.
NESCAC champion Tufts gets another conference rival in the Sweet 16 with the Panthers. The teams tied 0-0 during the regular-season back on October 18. The recent series between the teams has favored the Jumbos, but only slightly as they have a 1-0-3 mark against Middlebury since 2022. Tufts and Middlebury have never met in the NCAA Tournament.
"We feel really good going into the weekend," Coach Whiting said. "We have a great belief in ourselves, in our culture and our ability to win. Honestly, it's really about doing whatever we can to be together another week. This year's been really special, it's a great group, and the longer we can stay together the happier we're going to be."Â
Though Tufts is the higher seed, Middlebury earned hosting rights due to the tournament policy of alternating host sites between men's and women's when both teams qualify. The Jumbo men are playing at home this weekend. The Panthers, who earned their 14th NCAA bid, took wins over Westfield State University in the first round (3-0) and the University of Rochester (2-1) in the second round. Middlebury's 26-13-1 NCAA record marks the most wins of the four teams at the site this weekend. In the NCAA's for the first time since 2021 this year, the Panthers have reached the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2018 and ninth time overall.
The Eagles from Mary Washington knocked out NESCAC's Williams College on penalty kicks in the second round after a 2-2 tie (4-2 PKs). UMW had a 1-0 win over Vassar College in the first round. Making their 15th NCAA appearance - the most of the four teams - the Eagles are in the Sweet 16 for the eighth time, but first since 2004. Their NCAA at-large bid was the program's first since 2019, and the members of the Coast-to-Coast Conference (C2C) are 13-14-4 in NCAA action overall.
Penn State Harrisburg's Lions are on an exciting NCAA Tournament run, advancing past higher-ranked teams Christopher Newport University in the first round 2-1 and Rowan University 1-0 in the second round. Putting the team into their first-ever Sweet 16, those victories evened their NCAA record at 2-2. The Lions received their second straight NCAA berth and third overall after winning the United East Conference title.
The Jumbos enter the weekend averaging 2.50 goals per game and allowing a 0.495 goals against average, which is 22nd nationally. The offense is paced by junior
Reese Birch's 29 points (11 goals, 7 assists) and two-time NESCAC Offensive Player of the Year senior
Elsi Aires with an 11-5-27 scoring line. Senior
Lena Sugrue, the NESCAC Defensive Player of the Year, and junior goalkeeper
Gigi Edwards, who has a DIII top 40 mark with her .873 save percentage, lead the defense.
For Middlebury, a 0.50 goals against average that is 24th nationally features senior goalie Livia Davidson whose .904 save percentage is fifth in Division III. The Panther offense, which scores at a 1.68 goals per game rate, is led by first-year Olivia Colby's 12 points (3 goals, 6 assists).
Mary Washington is another top 25 in the nation defensive squad. The Eagles allow a 0.473 goals against average that ranks 20th in Division III, led by C2C Defensive Player of the Year Natalie Anderson. Junior Maci Landel, whose 11 assists are 13th nationally, has nine goals and 29 points to lead the UMW offense which averages 2.00 goals per game.
Senior Diana Pon's 48 points (18 goals, 12 assists) ranks eighth nationally to lead Penn State Harrisburg's 3.04 goals per game offense which is 22nd in DIII. The Lions, who were undefeated (8-0) in the United East Conference, allow a 0.792 goals against average. Senior Mackenzie Mowery and sophomore Ciera Frick are All-Conference first team honorees on defense.
Whichever team emerges out of this weekend will head to the NCAA "Final Four" December 4 and 6 at Kerr Stadium in Salem, Virginia.
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--JUMBOS--
