CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) – For the second straight season, nine Atlantic Coast Conference teams advanced to the second round of the 2025 NCAA Division I Women’s Soccer Championship. The ACC is the only conference with three or more bids to advance all its teams to the second round.
The nine ACC teams in the second round matched last season’s total and tied for the second-most in league history behind the 2011 mark of 10. Combined with last season’s results, the ACC is now 17-0-1 in first-round matchups in the past two seasons.
The conference’s three top seeds, Notre Dame, Stanford and Virginia, all cruised, winning by a combined score of 12-1, as the Fighting Irish and Cavaliers both earned shutouts. Similarly, second-seeded Duke blanked Elon in an in-state matchup, 3-0.
Also protecting its home pitch was third-seeded Florida State, which eliminated Samford for the second straight season, 4-0, while seventh-seeded Wake Forest held off South Carolina for a 2-1 victory. Eighth-seeded Clemson took advantage of a second-half goal to fend off Liberty, 2-1.
The lone seeded team that saw its match extend into extra time was sixth-seeded Louisville, which needed penalties against Kentucky following a 1-1 draw in the Battle of the Bluegrass. The Cardinals advanced to the second round for the first time since 2019, advancing 5-4 on penalties.
Defending national champion North Carolina claimed an upset win over third-seeded Tennessee, 3-1, avenging its season-opening setback to the Volunteers.
The second round is scheduled for Thursday, November 20, while the third round is set for Sunday, November 23. Both rounds will be played at the higher seed in each quadrant.
The Women’s College Cup will be played December 5 and 8 at CPKC Stadium, with the University of Kansas and Kansas City Sports Commission serving as hosts. The first national semifinal will be played and broadcast live on ESPNU at 6 p.m. ET on Friday, December 5, followed by the second semifinal beginning at approximately 8:45 p.m. ET, also live on ESPNU. The national championship match will take place at 7 p.m. ET on Monday, December 8, and will air live on ESPNU.
NCAA Women's Soccer Tournament
First Round Results
Friday, November 14
at #3 Florida State 4, Samford 0
at #2 Duke 3, Elon 0
at #7 Wake Forest 2, South Carolina 1
North Carolina 3, at #3 Tennessee 1
at #8 Clemson 2, Liberty 1
at #1 Virginia 5, High Point 0
at #1 Stanford 3, Cal Poly 1
Saturday, November 15
at #6 Louisville 1, Kentucky 1
(Louisville advances 5-4 in penalties)
at #1 Notre Dame 4, UIC 0
Second Round Schedule (All Times ET)
Thursday, November 20
Ohio State at #1 Notre Dame | TBA | ESPN+
#8 Alabama at #1 Stanford | TBA | ESPN+
#8 Penn State at #1 Virginia | TBA | ESPN+
#7 UCF at #2 Duke | 6:30 p.m. | ESPN+
#3 Florida State vs. Lipscomb | TBA | ESPN+
(at Washington D.C.)
#6 Louisville vs. #3 Kansas | 4 p.m. | ESPN+
(at Durham, N.C.)
#7 Wake Forest at #2 Michigan State | 6 p.m. | ESPN+
#8 Clemson at #1 Vanderbilt | TBA | ESPN+
North Carolina vs. #6 Texas Tech | TBA | ESPN+
(at Fort Worth, Texas)
Rankings based off NCAA Tournament seeding