The Emory University women's soccer team opened its 2025 NCAA tournament run with authority Saturday afternoon, taking down Belhaven University, 6-0, in the first round action at the Woodruff PE Center in Atlanta, Georgia.
Five different goal scorers accounted for the offensive barrage as the Eagles advanced to the NCAA Second Round where they'll oppose Rhodes College at 3:00 PM on Sunday in Atlanta, The Lynx knocked off previously unbeaten Brevard College, 2-0, in opening round competition on Saturday.
With the win, Emory improves to a stellar 17-1-1 on the season with the 17 victories matching a program record for most in a single season and is only the third occurrence in team history – joining the 2001 and 2011 squads to accomplish the feat. Saturday's clean sheet also represented the team's 15th of the season - the second-most in a single season in program history and one shy of tying 2011's total of 16 for the most in school history.
The Eagles wasted no time reaching the scoreboard on Saturday as junior Kaitlyn Nimmer put Emory ahead just 13:42 into the contest. Classmate Jessica Nastasi dished the feed to wide open Nimmer inside the box where she went top shelf with the finish for her 10th goal of the season.
Freshman Siena Elder found the scoresheet for the first time in her collegiate career as she netted her first collegiate goal in the 31st minute to double the Emory advantage. Junior Katie Hungness beat a Blazers defender to the ball in front of the Emory bench and took a few strides before sending one across where she found Elder for the finish.
The score remained 2-0 in favor of the Eagles until the 53rd minute when two-time UAA Defender of the Year, Michelle Davidson, tripled the edge with her second tally of the season. A long free kick was sent inside the box from junior Madison Teng, finding Davidson who redirected it home with the perfect header to the right-side netting.
Ten minutes later, sophomore Emory Bozzuti notched a header goal of her own following a long pass from the sideline by Nimmer. After picking up the assist a minute prior, Nimmer once again found the scoring column when she collected her second goal of the game in the 64th minute to make it a 5-0 score. Sophomore Melina Ramirez dished to Nimmer at the top left corner of the 18. Nimmer then moved around two Belhaven defenders before ripping a shot to the top corner of the far post.
The Eagles' final tally came in the closing minutes when junior Zia Tomlin added another header for the Blue & Gold, redirecting a Samantha Lim pass in the 89th minute to provide the 6-0 final margin.
For the game, Emory thoroughly controlled possession with a final line of 33-2 in total shots including an 18-2 margin in shots on goal. The Eagles secured nine corner kicks compared to Blazers' one.
The Eagles will look to advance to the Round of 16 for third time in four seasons as well as the eighth time under Head Coach Sue Patberg when Second Round action gets underway on Sunday.
