Dubuque, IA. – The Illinois Tech Scarlet Hawks women's soccer team historic 2024 season comes to an end tonight inside the Rock Bowl at Loras College as the Hawks fell to the Amherst College Mammoths 3-0 in the Sweet 16 match-up.  

Putting up a tough fight, the Hawks were unable to convert against an aggressive Amherst team who put up three goals over the 90 minutes of action. Although the stats go in favor of the Mammoths, the Hawks battled the whole time, holding possession and creating two on goal opportunities with shots from Kayla Smith and Mary Frampton. "We believe the girls went out there and gave everything." Said Head Coach Roshane Ellison after the match. "[We're] just extremely proud [of] the team and the effort that we put forward tonight."  

With the loss, the Scarlet Hawks conclude their historic 2024 season with a 19-3-3 overall record. And what an incredible season it was, as the Hawks earned their first ever appearance in the NCAA Division III Women's Soccer Tournament after winning the NACC Championship match. Nationally, the Hawks were the second highest scoring team, scoring offense, shots on goal team, and total points team in the country, ending the season with 103 goals for 4.29 per game and placing 300 shots on goal while recording 276 total points. Only Emmanuel College Saints tallied more in all four categories with 106 goals for 4.82 per game, 317 shots on goal, and 291 total points. In points per game and total assists, the Hawks were the third ranked team nationally with 11.50 points per game and 70 total assists. 

In the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference (NACC), where the team were named champions for the first time since becoming a member in 2018, the Hawks led in shots, goals, assists, goals allowed. Caitie Chismarich led the conference in goals with 19, game-winning goals with 7, shots on goal with 55, assists with 16, and points with 16. Sarah Thomas led the conference in goals against average with 0.79. The Hawks are the second team from the NACC to reach the Sweet 16.  

Since the beginning of the season, the Hawks were ranked in the United Soccer Coach Women's Soccer Region VIII Poll 7-out-of-8 times, only missing the rankings in week 2. In the week one poll, released on September 10th, the Hawks ranked 8th. Weeks three (September 24th), four (October 1st), and five (October 8th) saw the Hawks ranked 7th. Weeks six (October 15th), seven (October 22nd), and eight (October 29th) saw the Hawks ranked 8th.  

The Hawks hope this is just the beginning in post-season appearances. "This future is bright," said Ellison. "We're excited about what the future holds in terms of the younger players." In the Sweet 16 match, the Hawks started four first-year players in Leyna Yonehara, Hannah Ramos, Liliana Schuth, and Eva Narvarte. "We believe that we're going to continue to build an exciting and respectable program nationally. That's what we've always wanted. We believe that we have done that in the conference (NACC), in the region, and now nationally with people knowing us having been here for the first time and the success that we've had. We're excited about the future."  

10 Hawks will be departing the team as Kenzie Tokuchi, Lucy Vanveldhuisen, Sarah Thomas, Kate Domian, Amelia Moseman, Lucy Jorjorian, Carolyn Beltran, Caitie Chismarich, Jillian Oligschlaeger, and Hailey Flannagan will all be graduating. Congratulations to these seniors and the careers they have had as Scarlet Hawks on and off the field. These ladies will be missed and have left a lasting legacy on the program. 

"[I am so] proud of this team. Going into preseason we set some goals for ourselves, and some very ambitious goals, and I believe that we gave it our all and [that] the girls were committed and invested in terms of what we're doing as a team. I'm just extremely proud of what these girls put forward in terms of efforts and desires and who they have become throughout the entire process. [We] will continue to give it our best, but I am just extremely proud of these girls and how well they represented the University and themselves." Closed out Ellison.  

The Illinois Tech Scarlet Hawks women's soccer team will return to action in the fall of 2025.