The Waynesburg University women’s soccer team came back with vengeance to thrash the Franciscan College Barons 1-0 to advance to the semifinal round in playoffs. “I think this time around we played a bit more aggressive,” head coach George DeAugustino said. “That mindset and that energy really allowed us to weather a storm early on from them because they were pressing us pretty hard.”

The Yellow Jackets had a chance to host the first round of playoffs on Oct. 24th against the Barons to close out the regular season. However, Franciscan dashed those hopes in a 1-0 loss to end the regular season. Both teams sent shots on goal throughout the first half of the game, but each defensive line and goalkeepers held their ground and denied any connection to the back of the net. As the first half winds down, sophomore midfielder Bella Norton, in the 36th minute, collected a pass from senior Julz Mohrobacher and angled a cross to the upper left corner of the goal.

“It was such an amazing moment to get that goal,” Norton said. “Celebrating with my teammates is one of the best feelings in the world. We have all been working our hardest, so it was great to see it all paying off and share that moment together.”

It was Norton’s third goal of the year and her second game winning goal of the year.

“She certainly smashed the ball home. Bella has been great this year. I think the sophomore class is really stepping into their own here and, and making impacts,” DeAugustino said. “We talk with our program that you never know when your name’s going to be called.”

The Yellow Jackets defense was spectacular in the second half as Lex Greenlief compiled six saves for her sixth shutout of the year. Defender Gracie Smith, in her return from the injured list, cleared the ball off the line on a corner kick, keeping it at 1-0.

“Huge performance for Gracie in a comeback game after injury,” DeAugustino said. “Alot of unsung heroes throughout the match, it took a lot of people, we played a lot of people. The team as a whole is clicking, so it’s massive for this program.”

The Yellow Jackets travel on Wednesday, Nov. 4th for the semifinal round against Grove City, a 2025 President’s Athletics Conference championship rematch. The scheduled start time is 5 p.m. Waynesburg lost to Grove City 2-1 earlier this year. Grove City is 45-0-7 versus PAC opponents in the regular season since 2023.

“This is the third time in my six years we’re going to be playing at Grove City in a conference tournament match,” DeAugustino said. “Everything can happen in the postseason. We have nothing but respect for them. But we’re really going to talk about coming out playing hard from the beginning.”