MIDDLEBURY, VT (November 23, 2025) -- Junior
Waverly Sumner gathered a pass from
Emily Nicholas in the 99th minute, and fired her left-footed shot into the back of the net to give the No. 3 Tufts University women's soccer team a thrilling 1-0 overtime win over the University of Mary Washington in the 2025 NCAA Tournament Quarterfinals on South Street Field at Middlebury College in a early winter blizzard.
The Jumbos (18-1-3) reach the NCAA semifinals for the fourth time in program history with the win, getting back to the Final Four for the second time in three seasons.
The snow was driving down for nearly the entirety of the game, while wind and cold weather made conditions on the offensive units difficult to string much together. Tufts would do what it has done much of the season, and that is push the tempo early and had four shots in the first 10 minutes of the game, two that were stopped by Eagles' keeper Emily Orn.
Mary Washington (13-4-5) would start to get its legs under it, and started to get its offense going as the Eagles forced
Gigi Edwards into four stops in the first half though no one was able to find the back of the net through the first 45 minutes.
The best chance for Tufts in the second half came from senior
Lena Sugrue in the 63rd minute, as her attempt off of a corner kick whizzed over the bar. The Jumbos started to take control of the action in the second 45 minutes, outshooting UMW 12-5 though the two teams were unable to find a goal as the contest went to overtime.
In the extra session, Sumner was active the entire period with two shots while pressuring the Eagles' defenders each time she touched the ball. On the game-winning goal, sophomore
Audrey Cromett gathered a ball near the edge of the box on the left side and played it to Nicholas, who one-touched it to her right to Sumner. The junior worked the ball to her left foot and slammed it into the left side of the goal at 98:04 of the game to punch the Jumbos' ticket to Salem and the NCAA Semifinals.
Tufts outshot the Eagles 22-13 for the game, with a slight 7-6 advantage in the shots on goal column. The Jumbos added a big 8-2 lead in corner kicks, while posting their fourth straight shutout of the NCAA Tournament, outscoring opponents so far 12-0 in the four tournament wins.
Edwards was solid in net for the Jumbos, as she broke the single-season shutout record with her 11th of the season, making six stops on 13 shots faced. It was the most attempts on goal she has faced since the 18 from Wesleyan University back on September 27.
Sumner took a team-high six shots on the day for the Jumbos, while
Elsi Aires had five shots and two on target. Maci Landel had four shots for the Eagles.
Tufts will now take on No. 2 Emory University in the national semifinals at Kerr Stadium on the campus of Roanoke College in Salem, Virginia on Thursday, December 4 at a time to be determined. The Jumbos will be in search of their elusive first national title, in what will be head coach
Martha Whiting's fourth trip to the NCAA Final Four round.
--JUMBOS--
