Union Stun Babson 4-0 and Penn State Harrisburg Knock Out Salisbury as Division III Serves Up Two Huge Upsets
Wednesday was supposed to be the quiet day in Division III. Twelve first-round ties, favourites mostly at home, and the big names easing through to Saturday. It didn’t work out like that.
The shock of the day came at Babson. Union College, in the NCAA tournament for the first time in 52 years, went to MacDowell Field and beat No. 16 Babson 4-0. Not edged them. Not nicked it late. Four-nil, against last year’s national semifinalists.
First-year Caroline Ranucci ran the show with two goals and an assist. Union survived a wild start, Babson winning five corners and taking five shots in the first seven minutes, and then picked the Beavers off. Babson finished with an 18-10 edge in shots and 13 corners to Union’s seven, but the Garnet Chargers scored three times from corners and buried four of their five shots on target. That’s ruthless, and it keeps a fairytale season going. Union are 14-6, Liberty League champions, and now they get No. 2 Middlebury on Saturday at 11am ET, 9pm PKT. Tess Parker, the NFHCA Division III National Defensive Player of the Week after backstopping Union to the Liberty League title, will need another big day.
Harrisburg’s first NCAA game ends in history
The other upset was just as loud. Penn State Harrisburg, playing their first NCAA tournament game ever, beat No. 6 Salisbury 2-1 at Sea Gull Stadium.
Sadie Cook and Alysa McCarthy did the damage, a goal and an assist each. Cook put the Lions ahead early in the second quarter, Regan Worley levelled it for Salisbury from a penalty corner in the 26th minute, and then McCarthy and Cook combined again early in the fourth to win it. Salisbury threw everything at them after that, outshooting Harrisburg 18-4 and winning 13 corners to four, but the Lions held.
It’s Salisbury’s first loss in an NCAA first-round game since 1998. The Sea Gulls finish 15-4 with a SUNYAC title, but this one will sting. Harrisburg, 13-5 and United East champions, now face York on Saturday at 2pm ET, midnight PKT.
The rest of the night
York earned that date by beating Washington and Lee 2-0, both goals coming in the fourth quarter. Kelbie Linebaugh broke the deadlock at 46:04 for her 11th of the season, and Katelyn Landis doubled it from a corner at 55:08 for her 13th. Washington and Lee, ODAC champions and back in the tournament for the first time since 2022, held York scoreless for 45 minutes before the Spartans found their range. Maddy Merlack kept the shutout.
Rhodes pulled off the night’s third upset, winning 3-2 at Rowan. Everywhere else, the seeds held. Johns Hopkins beat Denison 2-0, though Denison keeper Lucian made 14 saves to keep it respectable, and the Centennial champions outshot them 28-2. Stevenson thrashed Colby-Sawyer 8-0, Swarthmore beat Scranton 4-0, Hamilton beat Southern Maine 4-0, Wesleyan hammered SUNY Geneseo 8-1, Ursinus edged Stevens 3-2 in overtime — Stevens had fought back from behind with two third-quarter goals before Brainard won it 41 seconds into the extra period — Amherst beat Endicott 2-1, and Williams put seven past Bridgewater State.
Saturday’s second round
All eight second-round ties are on Saturday, 14 November, live on NCAA.com:
- Tufts v Swarthmore, 11am ET (9pm PKT)
- Stevenson v Johns Hopkins, 2pm ET (midnight PKT)
- Middlebury v Union, 11am ET (9pm PKT)
- Hamilton v Wesleyan, 2pm ET (midnight PKT)
- Christopher Newport v Ursinus, 11am ET (9pm PKT)
- Penn State Harrisburg v York, 2pm ET (midnight PKT)
- Bowdoin v Amherst, 11am ET (9pm PKT)
- Williams v Rhodes, 2pm ET (midnight PKT)
The third round follows on Sunday, with the semifinals on Friday 20 November and the final on Sunday 22 November in Geneva, New York. For our money, Union against Middlebury is the tie of the round. The Garnet Chargers have already ended one giant’s season. Don’t bet against them ending another.
