2024 NCAA Women’s Soccer Tournament: Elite Eight Preview

November 26, 2024
By Rohtas Wadera

The NCAA Tournament is one of the best things about college athletics. A 64-team bracket that is whittled down to one champion. This single-elimination format of survive and advance has captivated sports fans with classic matches and shocking upsets for years. This year is no different. We’re down to the Elite Eight, where only the strongest have survived. Here’s a recap of the NCAA Tournament up till now and how Elite Eight will go next weekend.

Two No. 1 and Two No. 2 Seeds Went Down

The last two NCAA Tournaments saw some mind-blowing first-round upsets from UC Irvine and others. This year, the top seeds managed to get out of the first round, but the No. 7 seeds sadly had a rough tournament. Pepperdine, BYU, and Georgia all lost in the first round, and Rutgers, a No. 6 seed, also lost. It wasn’t until the second round that we saw some unexpected results.

UCLA and Florida State were loaded and had high expectations to go far in this tournament. The Bruins fell to Virginia Tech 2-1, conceding twice as arguably the best defensive unit in the nation was a shocker. Florida State was clipped by Vanderbilt, who took them to a penalty shootout after playing in a 3-3 thriller. When great teams like this go down, not only do Virginia Tech and Vanderbilt deserve all the credit, but it also shows how hard it is to win in the NCAA Tournament.

Arkansas and Mississippi State sadly couldn’t get an SEC team into the Elite Eight for the first time in a long time. Arkansas lost to Stanford in a penalty shootout, and Mississippi State was beaten by Notre Dame 2-0. In the end, it was the blue blood programs that ended up advancing as they usually do.

Elite Eight, Dominated By Big 10 and ACC

The Elite Eight comprises six teams from the ACC and the other two from the Big 10. Despite all the major conference realignment, the ACC has again proven to be the premier women’s college soccer conference. Six teams in the last eight is an incredible accomplishment for the ACC. All eight teams in the Elite Eight are ranked in the Top 22, with seven of the eight in the Top 15. The best of the best are still hanging around. Virginia Tech was at No. 12 in the polls and somehow received a No. 7 seed. How is that possible? UCLA got a bad draw having to see Virginia Tech that early, but the Hokies showed they’re a legitimate contender by taking out the Bruins.

No. 1 USC Trojans vs. No. 2 Wake Forest Demon Deacons: November 29 at 5:00 PM ET/2:00 PM PT, ESPN+

These are two programs that could not be more opposite of each other. USC is a major college sports school and brand with two National Championships. USC is one of the premier soccer schools in the nation. On the other hand, Wake Forest is looking to build and create their history. The Demon Deacons are exorcising past NCAA Tournament demons in 2024. Wake Forest has been bounced from the first round seven times and has only made the College Cup once in their history. Now, they find themselves one game away from the College Cup. Wake Forest has Caiya Hanks and Emily Colton leading the way, with Maile Hayes leading the way for USC. Based on their schedules and how each team played against inferior opponents, we’re taking Wake Forest to advance and get to the school’s second College Cup.

Prediction: Wake Forest Wins 2-1

No. 3 Stanford Cardinal vs. No. 4 Notre Dame Fighting Irish: November 29 at 5:00 PM ET/2:00 PM PT, ESPN+

Stanford entered the ACC as one of the premier programs from the PAC-12 and got a taste of what the ACC was like this year. The Cardinal went 5-4-1 in the ACC, including a three-game losing streak to end the regular season. Yet, they’re back in the Elite Eight, playing some of their best soccer at the right time. Notre Dame was an elite team that flew under the radar because of how stacked the ACC is. Both teams have made the College Cup recently, and both schools have national titles.

This will be a highly-contested matchup between two teams who have already faced each other this year. Notre Dame blitzed Stanford in the matchup from this season with three second-half goals to win 3-0. Will Paul Ratcliffe and his staff make the proper adjustments heading into this game? Notre Dame has had the better season overall and has had fewer losses, but I trust Stanford to slow down Notre Dame’s star striker Izzy Engle, who has 19 goals this season. If the Cardinal can stop her and let Shae Harvey run the midfield, they’ll win this game either in extra time or a penalty shootout.

Prediction: Stanford Wins 1-1 in PKs

No. 2 North Carolina Tar Heels vs. No. 4 Penn State Nittany Lions: November 29 at 6:00 PM ET/3:00 PM PT, ESPN+

Anson Dorrance might have retired, but that has not stopped North Carolina from being the dominant program it is. The Tar Heels find themselves in another NCAA Quarterfinal and have to like their chances. North Carolina hasn’t drawn a game this season and has five losses, all to some of the best teams from this season. They’ve lost twice to rival Duke, twice to Florida State, and once to Stanford.

On the flip side, Penn State represents the Big 10 well and has become the most consistent in the conference, even with USC and UCLA joining. Penn State has always been built on defense, allowing them to go on these deep NCAA Tournament runs. North Carolina is more of an offensive team making this a classic matchup between two contrasting styles.

Plus, we get to witness two elite strikers go head-to-head: Kate Faasse of North Carolina, who has 18 goals, and Kaitlyn MacBean of Penn State, with 17 goals this year. Penn State has what it takes to beat North Carolina, but the Tar Heels always seem to find a way to get to the College Cup. I’m not picking against them to keep the ACC streak going.

Prediction: North Carolina Wins 3-2

No. 1 Duke Blue Devils vs. No. 7 Virginia Tech Hokies: November 30 at 6:00 PM ET/3:00 PM PT, ESPN+

Duke has solidified their claim as the best team in the country. They held the No. 1 ranking in the polls for much of the season, and their only two losses this year have come to North Carolina in the ACC Tournament Final and Ohio State to start the season. Duke has been flawless in between, and they defeated two ranked teams to get here: Texas Tech and Michigan State. The Blue Devils have two double-digit scorers, Maggie Graham and Mia Minestrella, and three players who have double-digit assists: Mia Oliaro, Devin Lynch, and Ella Hase. How does anyone scout this team when they can beat you in various ways?

Virginia Tech has their work cut out for them as they didn’t play Duke in the regular season. The Hokies have made the College Cup once in their history, and this is the best chance they’ve had since. Taylor Price and Natalie Mitchell will have to find a way past Duke’s defense if they can pull off the upset. It’s been an incredible run for Virginia Tech, taking out UCLA and Iowa on the road here, but Duke is simply too good.

Prediction: Duke Wins 2-1