Swarthmore, Pa. - The Catholic University of America women's soccer team overcame No. 19 Ithaca College with a 1-0 victory in the first round of the NCAA DIII Tournament, advancing to the round two for the second consecutive year.  With the win the Cardinals continue their post season campaign and extend their overall record to 17-2, while the Bomber season comes to close with a 13-5-2 record.

The Cardinals earned an automatic bid to the NCAA DIII Tournament for the second year in a row after claiming back-to-back Landmark Conference titles. No. 19 Ithaca fell to Stevens Institute in the Empire 8 finals and earned an at-large bid to the tournament thanks to their strength of schedule and weekly national rankings.

The nationally-ranked Bombers did not frighten the Cardinals as CUA outshot the higher seeded team 22-8 in the 90 minute contest. The teams played the first half evenly matched with Ithaca outshooting Catholic just 7-6 and after a 41st minute red card to the Bombers, the Cardinals came alive.

Landmark Conference Offensive Player of the Year, junior Lindsay Aleman, took eight of Catholic's 22 shots throughout the match. With 11 minutes to play and a blank scoreboard, Aleman pounced on a cross from sophomore Nia Gomez.  Freshman Jillian Sudo brought the ball up the left side of the pitch and passed it to Gomez who beat her defender and slotted a pass into the 6-yard box at Aleman for the lone goal of the contest.  The game-winner is Aleman's 22nd goal of the year, extending her CUA single-season goals record.

The CUA backline made up of seniors Ava Brown and Maddy Thompson along with junior Sarah Madden and sophomore Kate Thompson stopped every opportunity the Bombers had in the final 10 minutes of play. As time expired the Cards earn their second NCAA tournament victory in program history.

The Cardinals will take on No. 13 Swarthmore College in the second round of the NCAA DIII Tournament. The game will be played Sunday, November 15, at 5 p.m., at Clothier Fields on the campus of Swarthmore College.