LEXINGTON, Va. – Junior
Aubrey Dunbar played the role of hero once again, as her 10th-minute goal was the difference in the No. 5 Washington and Lee women's soccer team winning its third consecutive ODAC Championship on Saturday by a final score of 1-0 over Lynchburg.
HOW IT HAPPENED:
- Despite the final result, it was the Hornets (15-3-3) who controlled the pace of play and offensive chances early on. They took the first three shots of the game across the opening 7:46, with junior Kate McEnroe making a save in the second minute.
- In the 10th minute, senior Emily Burke put a cross from the left side over to the right where Dunbar headed the ball down. The ball went off a defender and came back to Dunbar, who took a shot from close range and snuck it past the keeper for the lead.
- The Generals (16-1-2) kept the pressure on with three more shots on goal over the next 10 minutes, including a rocket of a shot off the foot of junior Megan Zimmerman in the 15th minute, which Julia Salo leapt for and punched over before it could cross under the crossbar.
- The second half was about as even as it gets as far as offensive pressure goes. However, only one of the total 12 shot attempts ended up on goal. McEnroe managed to make that save, as well, in the 86th minute at the near post.
- Over the final two minutes of regulation, the Generals did well to preserve their lead by booting the ball deep into the Lynchburg defensive third. They continued to do so until time expired.
TOP PERFORMERS:
- Dunbar's goal was her third of the season and second in as many games. It came on her only shot attempt of the game.
- Junior Elizabeth Zimmerman led the W&L offense with five shots, two on goal, while Megan Zimmerman, Burke, and first-year Cara Dugan each had three shots.
- Lauren Orner paced the Lynchburg offense with four shots, with Makayla Hargrove, Gronau and Kate Hillegas each shooting twice.
- McEnroe and Salo made three saves each in their respective goals. It marked McEnroe's seventh shutout of the season and the team's 13th.
INSIDE THE NUMBERS:
- The Generals won both the ODAC semifinal and championship games by 1-0 final scores this week. Dunbar scored the lone goal in both games, her first two career game-winning goals.
- McEnroe's clean sheet was the 16th of her career to tie Emily Barker '05 for the eighth-most shutouts in program history. Her next will tie Sydney Smith '24 for seventh place.
- Saturday's win marked the first time in program history the Generals have won three consecutive ODAC Tournament titles. It was the seventh overall championship in program history.
- Following the conclusion of the game, Salo, Orner and Sammie Rogstad from Lynchburg and Dunbar, M. Zimmerman, junior Elizabeth Perri and senior Amelia Manke were each named to the 2026 All-ODAC Tournament Team.
TEAM STATS:
- The Generals finished the game with a 17-14 advantage in total shots, aided by a 12-7 edge in the first half.
- The Hornets ended the night with the slight advantage in corner kicks, 7-6, after earning five and conceding two in the second half. Three of their second-half corners came in the final 14 minutes to keep the pressure on the Generals.
UP NEXT:
The Generals, who entered the day ranked fifth in the NCAA Power Index (NPI), receive the ODAC's automatic berth into the 2026 NCAA Division III Championship. They will learn who and where they will play next weekend during Monday's selection show at 11:30 a.m. on NCAA.com.
Nestled in the mountains of Virginia, Washington and Lee University is a proud member of NCAA Division III and the Old Dominion Athletic Conference. Founded in 1749, W&L is the ninth-oldest college in the United States and a top-ranked liberal arts university. With over 500 student-athletes in 24 varsity sports, the Generals have celebrated over 265 conference championships. Learn more about the Blue and White by visiting www.generalssports.com or on social media at @WLUGenerals.
