FAIRFIELD, Conn. – The Sacred Heart University women's soccer team is headed to the nation's capital for round one of the 2025 NCAA Women's Soccer Tournament, where the Pioneers will take on the Georgetown Hoyas on Friday, November 14, at 6:30 p.m. The Pioneers punched their ticket to the national stage after capturing the program's first Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Championship with a thrilling victory over Canisius.

Entering the MAAC Tournament as the fourth seed, the Pioneers battled through a challenging path to the title. SHU rallied from an early deficit to defeat Siena in the quarterfinals before stunning top-seeded Fairfield — unbeaten in conference play — with a dramatic 85th-minute winner to advance to the championship.

In the championship game, the Pioneers traveled to Buffalo to face third-seeded Canisius in brutal conditions. With heavy snow blanketing the field, both sides battled through regulation and two overtime periods without a goal. The MAAC title came down to penalty kicks, where Sacred Heart held its composure to secure the historic championship victory.

Morgan Bovardi, Shea Kelleher, and Riley Pettigrew earned spots on the MAAC All-Tournament Team, while goalkeeper Kyran Thievon was named Tournament MVP for her dominant play between the posts.

Georgetown enters Friday's matchup fresh off a 10-0 regular season conference record. The winner will advance to face the victor between West Virginia and Wagner in the second round.