The 2004 Eagles won the Capital Athletic Conference championship for the 13th time in the I5-year history of the conference, advanced to the NCAA Division III national championship tournament for the 12th time, and fourth consecutive time, and advanced all the way to the national quarterfinals, with three consecutive thrilling shootout wins along the way.

Led by CAC Player of the Year Kathryn Amirpashaie and All-CAC goalkeeper Mary Elizabeth Fulco, the Eagles began the campaign ranked 17th in the preseason National Soccer Coaches' Association of America national poll. The Eagles opened the season with a loss against eventual NCAA Tournament-bound Emory University in Virginia Beach, but then followed with a 2-1 victory over Nazareth College.

After a tough 1-0 loss at Gettysburg, the Eagles reeled off four consecutive victories, including a 3-0 win over John Carroll University, and CAC wins over Gallaudet University, Goucher College, and a 1-0 win at York College in a rematch of the 2003 CAC Championship. A 1-0 loss to nationally-ranked Denison ended the win streak, but another four game win streak followed, with victories over Maryrnount University, Salisbury University, St. Mary's College, and Villa Julie College.

After the Eagles fell to the College of New Jersey, they closed the regular season with road wins at Eastern University and Catholic University, and opened play in the CAC Tournament as the top seed. UMW opened postseason play with a 7-0 win over Gallaudet before topping Catholic, 1-0, in the CAC semifinals. Following a scoreless double overtime match in the championship, the Eagles claimed the league title with a 3-1 edge in a penalty kick shootout over Salisbury, marking the fourth straight year the Eagles won the CAC tournament and earned the automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

After going through the entire regular season without a tie, the Eagles opened the NCAA Tournament in the second round with their second straight draw, and again advanced on penalty kicks over Otterbein, 9-8. For good measure, the Eagles, unranked at the outset of the NCAA Tournament, topped seventh-ranked Ohio Wesleyan University, 4- 3, in a shootout in the sectional semifinals, with freshman Margaret Vaccaro booting in the clincher. UMW's advancement to the national quarterfinals was their farthest advancement in the NCAA Tournament since reaching the quarters in both 1997 and 1998.