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#1 North Carolina vs #6 Penn State
How They Got Here
North Carolina defeated No. 9 Saint Joseph’s 5-2 to advance to their 26th Final Four in program history. Erin Matson led the way offensively with a hat trick in her final home game as a Tar Heel. Paityn Wirth and Ashley Sessa also scored, while Kylie Walbert made three saves in the win.
Continue reading “NCAA Tournament Final Four Preview: UNC and PSU & NU and UMD set to clash in Storrs”Nov. `13 —
North Carolina 5, Saint Joseph’s 2
Erin Matson scored a hat trick as No. 1 North Carolina downed St. Joseph’s 5-2 to advance to the Final Four
Saint Joseph’s fought off some early pressure for North Carolina in the opening minutes of the first quarter. North Carolina controlled possession for most of the quarter and earned three penalty corners, but could not find the back of the cage. The Tar Heels broke through in the 10th minute of play when Paityn Wirth knocked in a rebound of a Matson shot.
Back-and-forth in the second quarter which saw three green cards between the two teams. Kiersten Thomassey made a great defensive play with less than five minutes in the second play to thwart a Saint Joseph’s breakaway.
North Carolina doubled their lead with a penalty corner blast from Matson to take a 2-0 lead late in the second quarter. Matson added another goal in the last minute of the play to give North Carolina a 3-0 lead at the half.
Matson completed a hat trick early in the third quarter when North Carolina was awarded a penalty stroke. Saint Joseph’s responded to cut the lead to 4-1 when Leigh James scored off a penalty corner.
Ashley Sessa added another goal early in the fourth quart to extend North Carolina’s lead to 5-1. Saint Joseph’s responded with a goal of their own as Sol Borensztein’s shot trickled in past Kylie Walbert.
North Carolina held a 19-5 advantage in shots and 6-3 in penalty corners. Walbert made three saves while Robin Bleekemolen made six saves.
Continue reading “NCAA Tournament Elite 8 Recap: Matson’s Hat Trick Paces UNC, Two More Shootouts and Allessie’s Late GWG Enough for PSU”Nov. 12 —
St Joseph’s @ North Carolina – noon
How They Got Here
Despite an early 1-0 deficit, No. 1 North Carolina scored five times in the first half to rout Delaware 5-1. Kennedy Cliggett led the way offensively as she scored twice in the first quarter in a span of four minutes. Ryleigh Heck, Ashley Sessa and Lisa Slinkert also added goals as North Carolina outshot Delaware 28-6.
Lily Santi scored the game-winner early in the second quarter off a penalty corner deflection as No. 9 St. Joseph’s defeated No. 10 Wake Forest 3-1. Sky Caron gave Wake Forest a 1-0 lead early in the first quarter but Celeste Smits knotted it up at 1-1 less than three minutes later. Santi and Freke van Tilburg connected 47 seconds into the second quarter for a 2-1 lead and Manu Ghigliotti capped off the scoring in the fourth quarter.
Last Time They Met
North Carolina routed St. Joseph’s in Chapel Hill 6-0 back on Oct. 23 behind a Heck hat trick. Matson, Cliggett and Paityn Wirth also got in on the action as North Carolina led 17-7 in shots. Abigal Taylor made three saves, while Robin Bleekemolen tallied seven.
Players to Watch
Kennedy Cliggett (UNC): The sophomore forward has played a big role in Carolina’s depth this season as she comes off the bench in all 18 games. Cliggett has tallied seven goals and one assist for 15 points, including two in the first round game against Delaware.
Freke van Tilburg (SJU): The senior back has been an anchor in the St. Joseph’s backfield this season, contributing a defense that averaged 0.90 goals per game. Van Tilburg has tallied a goal and two assists in her last two assists, including assisting on the game-winner against Wake Forest.
Iowa @ Northwestern – 2 p.m.
How They Got Here
Lauren Wadas scored the final shootout winner as No. 2 Northwestern edged No. 25 Miami (OH) 2-1 in a shootout. Peyton Halsey gave the Wildcats a 1-0 lead on a penalty stroke midway through the third quarter. Miami answered early in the fourth quarter to knot it up at 1-1 with ten minutes remaining in regulation to force overtime, which led to a shootout. Ana Medina Garcia and Aerin Krys both scored in the shootout. Annabel Skubisz made five saves in the win.
Lieve Schalk scored the shootout winner as No. 11 Virginia downed No. 5 Virginia in the second shootout of the day at Lakeside Field. Esme Gibson gave Iowa a 1-0 lead late in the first half when her shot deflected off a Virginia defender’s stick. Virginia tied it up to force overtime early in the fourth quarter. Mia Magnotta made two saves in the win.
Last Time They Met
Iowa handed Northwestern their first loss of the season back on Sept. 23 in Evanston. Alex Wesneski scored twice to down the then No. 1 ranked Wildcats 2-0. Northwestern outshot Iowa 16-3 and held a 6-0 advantage in penalty corners. Grace McGuire made eight saves in the win.
Players to Watch
Esme Gibson (IA): Gibson scored the opening goal in the win over Virginia. The senior midfielder ranks fourth on the team with four goals and four assists for 12 points.
Ana Medina Garcia (NU): Medina Garcia hasn’t scored since the overtime winner against Ohio State back on Oct. 16 but she has some big time goals in her career. The senior forward is fourth on the team with six goals and four assists for 16 points.
Syracuse @ Maryland – 1 p.m.
How They Got Here
Riley Donnelly converted on a penalty stroke in the second overtime as No. 2 Maryland downed No. 13 Liberty. The Flames took a 1-0 lead midway through the third quarter but Margot Lawn responded in the closing minutes of the quarter to tie it up 1-1. Maryland outshot Liberty 23-6 and held an 8-2 advantage in penalty corners.
Charlotte de Vries scored twice as No. 7 Syracuse avenged an early season loss to No. 8 Princeton 5-2. Princeton took an early lead but de Vries scored her first of the day to knot it up 1-1. The Tigers retook the lead midway through the second quarter and Syracuse tied up at the buzzer when Lana Hamilton scored off a rebound. Syracuse pulled away in the second half with another goal from de Vries, along with Eefke van den Nieuwenhof and Sabine vd Eijnden. Borzymowski made two saves in the win.
Last Time They Met
Maryland edged Syracuse 2-1 in the 2021 Elite Eight in College Park. Anna Castaldo gave Maryland a 1-0 lead early in the second quarter. Syracuse found an answer early in the fourth quarter from van den Nieuwenhoff, but Bibi Donraadt gave Maryland the lead right back 1:28 later. Borzymowski made five saves in the loss.
Players to Watch
Hope Rose (UMD): Rose led with seven shots in the 2-1 win over Liberty in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The sophomore forward leads with 14 goals so far this season.
Charlotte de Vries (SU): The senior forward has tallied at least a point in her last three games, dating back to the ACC tournament. De Vries is second on the Orange in scoring with 14 goals.
Penn State vs UAlbany – 1 p.m.
How They Got Here
Sophia Gladieux and Anna Simon each scored twice as No. 6 Penn State routed No. 12 Louisville 5-0 in Ann Arbor. Jemma Punch also added a goal as Penn State put on the offensive pressure from the beginning. The Nittany Lions outshot the Cardinals 19-8 and held a 10-4 advantage in penalty corners. Brie Barraco made six saves in the win.
UAlbany upset No. 4 Michigan in overtime with a goal from Sophia Schoonmaker. Michigan took a 1-0 lead late in the second quarter. UAlbany found the equalizer with under three minutes remaining in regulation when Floor de Ruiter deflected a shot from Alison Smisdom. Elaina Burchell found Schoonmaker on a breakaway pass who deked a defender and goalkeeper for the 2-1 upset. Hannah Mangan made eight saves in the win.
Last Time They Met
Penn State and UAlbany met earlier this season where Gladieux tallied a hat trick in a 6-2 win in Albany. Grace Wallis, Carly Gannon and Punch also scored for the Nittany Lions while Smisdom and Schoonmaker scored for the Great Danes. Hannah Mangan made ten saves in the loss.
Players to Watch
Sophia Gladeiux (PSU): Gladieux has been the offensive spark all season and will be a key factor if Penn State wants to advance to the Final Four. The junior forward leads with 23 goals and three assists for 49 points, along with seven-game winners, which are all career-highs for Sophia Gladieux.
Sophia Schoonmaker (UA): Schoonmaker scored the game-winner in a 2-1 upset over Michigan in overtime. The sophomore forward is ranked fifth on the team with six goals and two assists for 14 points, along with three game-winners.
Chapel Hill Regional
Delaware @ North Carolina – noon
How They Got Here
Delaware shut out Lehigh in their play-in game on Wednesday as they scored a pair of goals each in the first and third quarters for a 4-0 win. Julia Duffhuis scored the game-winner late in the first quarter, followed by Sian Emslie. Lia Becker and Genevieve Johnson each scored in the third quarter, while Lizzie Gaebel made five saves.
North Carolina won their sixth straight ACC Tournament Championship to earn the automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament, along with earning the No. 1 seed. Ryleigh Heck scored twice as the Tar Heels edged Virginia 3-2.
Last Time They Met
Greta Nauck scored late in regulation to break a 2-2 tie as Delaware upset North Carolina for their first National Championship back in 2016 at Old Dominion. Nauck and Meghan Winsett gave Delaware a 2-0 lead at halftime, but Lauren Moyer and Megan DuVernois responded for North Carolina to tie the game up at 2-2.
Players to Watch
Julia Duffhuis (UD): The two-time CAA Defensive Player of the Year opened the scoring for Delaware in their 4-0 win over Lehigh. The junior has recorded a goal in the last five of six games and recorded a hat trick against Northeastern in the CAA semifinals.
Meredith Sholder (UNC): The fifth-year midfielder earned Most Valuable Player of the ACC Tournament after an amazing performance in the midfield for UNC. Once on the forward line, Sholder made the transition to the midfield and has played such a critical role for the Tar Heels, especially as they make an NCAA title run.
Saint Joseph’s vs Wake Forest – 2:30 p.m.
How They Got Here
Saint Joseph’s earned their second consecutive A-10 title with a 3-0 win over UMass. Sol Borensztein, Lily Santi and Freke van Tillburg each scored in the win, while Robin Bleekemolen earned the shutout as she did not face a shot. Santi won Most Valuable Player of the Tournament.
Wake Forest saw a 2-0 lead slip away in the ACC semifinals with a 3-2 overtime loss to Virginia. Immie Gillgrass save Wake Forest a 1-0 lead at halftime off a redirection off a penalty corner. Rachel Thetford doubled the lead early in the second quarter, but Virginia scored three unanswered goals to take the victory. Wake Forest earned an at-large bid into the NCAA Tournament.
Last Time They Met
This will be the first meeting between St. Joseph’s and Wake Forest.
Players to Watch
Lehigh James (SJU): The senior midfielder scored twice in Saint Joseph’s 2-1 win over VCU in the A-10 semifinals. James ranks fourth on the team in scoring with six goals and 14 points.
Immie Gillgrass (WF): Gillgrass scored the opening goal in the ACC semifinal game against Virginia, her second goal in the last three games. She’s appeared in all 19 games for Wake Forest off the bench.
Evanston Regional
Miami (OH) @ Northwestern – 1 p.m.
How They Got Here
Miami (OH) routed Rider 7-1 in their play-in game on Wednesday. Claudia Garcia Negrete registered Miami’s second hat trick in as many games to pace the Red Hawks offense. Luli Russo and Berta Mata each tallied a goal and an assist. Isabelle Perese made two saves in the win.
Northwestern fell 2-1 to Michigan in the Big Ten Championship game in Columbus. Lauren Wadas scored the lone goal for the Wildcats, late in the fourth quarter to cut the Wolverines’ lead to 2-1, but unable to find the equalizer. Annabel Skubisz made eight saves in the loss.
Last Time They Met
Miami and Northwestern met on the last day of the regular season in Oxford, where Northwestern prevailed 3-1. Lane Herbert gave Northwestern a 1-0 lead in the second quarter and Wadas doubled the lead in the third quarter, but Russo responded 33 seconds later to cut the lead to 2-1. Benete Baekers scored in the fourth quarter to secure the 3-1 win.
Players to Watch
Paula Pena Martinez (MIA): Pena Martinez scored a hat trick in Miami’s 3-1 win over App State in the MAC Championship game. The junior leads the team with 16 goals along with Negrete Garcia.
Lauren Wadas (NU): The junior midfielder has scored a goal in her last three of four games, including twice in the Big Ten Tournament which earned her All-Tournament honors. Wadas has started in all 21 games for the Wildcats so far this season.
Virginia @ Iowa – 3:30 p.m.
How They Got Here
Virginia fell 3-2 to North Carolina in the ACC Championship, but still earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. North Carolina took a 2-0 lead into the fourth quarter, before Annie McDonough scored to cut the lead to 2-1. North Carolina answered with a goal of their own before Laura Janssen cut the lead to 3-2 but could not find the equalizer. Jet Trimborn made seven saves.
Iowa fell 3-0 to Michigan in the Big Ten quarterfinals. The Iowa offensive could not generate anything offensively as they were outshot 16-3 and no shots were on frame. Mia Magnotta made three saves.
Last Time They Met
Iowa and Virginia have not met since 2014 where Iowa prevailed 4-3. This is the seventh all-time meeting between the squads and Virginia has won both NCAA Tournament meetings.
Players to Watch
Alex Wesneski (IA): The junior forward leads the Hawkeyes with 11 goals, but she has not found the back of cage since Sept. 30 against Maryland. With Iowa struggling to generate offense, Wesneski can be the spark again to ignite this offense.
Annie McDonough (UVA): The fifth-year midfielder has scored goals in back-to-back games after only scoring her first goal of the season on Oct. 23. McDonough was instrumental in the comeback against Wake Forest and the almost comeback against North Carolina.
College Park Regional
Liberty @ Maryland – noon
How They Got Here
Liberty defeated Old Dominion 3-1 to win their second straight Big East Tournament title. The Flames took an early 1-0 lead off a goal from Daniella Rhodes before Old Dominion tied it up with ten minutes remaining. Bethany Dykema scored the game-winner off a net-front scrum with under seven minutes left in regulation. Azul Iritxity Irigoyen made four saves.
Maryland fell 2-1 to Northwestern in the Big Ten semifinals. Hope Rose scored the lone goal for Maryland after Northwestern took a 2-0 lead. Christina Calandra made six saves in the loss. Despite a semifinal exit from the Big Ten Tournament, Maryland earned the No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Last Time They Met
Charlotte Vaanhold scored the golden goal with two minutes remaining in the second overtime period to send Liberty to their first ever Final Four, downing Maryland 3-2 last season. After a scoreless first half, Jill Bolton and Vaanhold gave Liberty a 2-0 lead in the third quarter. Bibi Donraadt got Maryland on the board 40 seconds after Liberty’s second goal and Hope Rose tied it up at 2-2 on a penalty stroke with five minutes remaining to force overtime. Iritxity Irigoyen made nine saves while Noelle Frost made seven.
Players to Watch
Reagan Underwood (LU): The junior midfielder is a vital piece to Liberty’s midfield and plays an important role on this team. She found Dykema in front of the cage to set up the game-winning goal in the Big East Championship.
Riley Donnelly (UMD): The fifth year back scored twice in a 5-2 win over Ohio State in the Big Ten quarterfinals. Donnelly has scored at least a goal in her last two of four games, tallying eight goals and four assists for 20 points.
Princeton vs Syracuse – 2:30 p.m.
How They Got Here
Princeton finished 7-0 in Ivy League play to with the regular season title and earn the automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament, their first appearance since 2019 when they advanced to the NCAA title game. Princeton closed out the season with a 3-1 win over Columbia with goals from Sam Davidson, Beth Yeager, and Grace Schulze.
Syracuse fell 2-1 to North Carolina in the ACC semifinals. North Carolina scored a goal in the third and fourth quarter to take a 2-0 lead. Joy Haarman broke the shutout late in the quarter to tally the lone goal for the Orange. Brooke Boryzmowski made five saves.
Last Time They Met
Princeton handed Syracuse their first loss of the season, a 5-1 setback on Sept. 9. Sammy Popper, Liz Agatucci, Ali McCarthy, Davidson, and Yeager each scored for the Tigers, while Quirine Comans tallied the lone goal for the Orange.
Players to Watch
Sammy Popper (PU): Popper has scored a goal in her last two of three games in wins over Harvard and Brown. The senior forward ranks second on the team in scoring with nine goals and 2 assists for 20 points.
Joy Haarman (SU): The fifth-year midfielder scored in back-to-back games for the first time this season in the ACC quarterfinals and semifinals. Haarman is tied for third on the team with eight goals, along with one game-winner.
Ann Arbor Regional
UAlbany @ Michigan – noon
How They Got Here
Blanca Orsola scored the game-tying goal with under three minutes remaining to force overtime after Stanford took 1-0 lead in the second quarter. After both teams failed to find the game-winner in overtime, UAlbany prevailed in a shootout for their first American East title since 2018.
Kate McLaughlin and Brynn Zorilla each scored as Michigan defeated Northwestern to win their second Big Ten title in three seasons. Stifling a Northwestern offense that averaged 19.6 shots per game, the Michigan defense held them to 10. Anna Spieker earned the shutout.
Last Timey They Met
These two teams last met in Ithaca, N.Y. back in Sept. of 2021. Lora Clarke scored twice as Michigan downed UAlbany 4-1. Sofia Southam and McLaughlin also tallied goals, while Blanca Orsola scored the lone goal for UAlbany.
Players to Watch
Blanca Orsola (UA): Orsola scored the game-tying goal to force overtime in the American East Championship game where UAlbany prevailed. The sophomore midfielder has tallied at least a point in her last six games.
Kathryn Peterson (UM): The Most Valuable Player of the Big Ten Tournament, Peterson got in done on both sides of the ball throughout the tournament. Along with playing solid defense in the midfield, Peterson scored twice on penalty strokes to help Michigan upset Penn State in the Big Ten semifinals.
Penn State vs Louisville – 2:30 p.m.
How They Got Here
After earning the No. 1 seed in the Big Ten Tournament and first-round bye, Penn State saw an early exit in the semifinals after falling to Michigan 2-1. Sophia Gladieux scored the lone goal for the Nittany Lions and Brie Barraco made seven saves.
Louisville fell 1-0 to Virginia in the ACC quarterfinals, despite Louisville leading 13-4 in shots. Sasha Elliott made one save in the lost.
Last Time They Met
Louisville edged Penn State 2-1 on the road earlier this season. Gladieux gave Penn State a 1-0 lead at halftime, but Katie Schneider and Aimee Plumb scored in the second half for the comeback win.
Players to Watch
Sophia Gladieux: The junior forward has scored in every game so far this season with the exception of three games. Gladieux scored the lone goal in the 2-1 loss to Michigan in the Big Ten semifinals, and she will be a driving force in their offense if they want to make a deep tournament run.
Aimee Plumb: The junior midfielder has been the most consistent offensively for Louisville as she leads the team with eight goals and seven assists for 23 points. She also leads for five game-winners and will be looked to lead her team offensively.
Delaware vs Lehigh – Chapel Hill – 2 p.m.
How They Got Here
Delaware defeated Drexel 6-1 in the CAA Championship game for their ninth title in 10 years with goals from Kiki Oudshoorn, Noelle Sabbagh, Julia Duffhuis, Ashlyn Carr, Lia Becker and Grace Hoepfner. Carr was named Most Outstanding Performer, while Duffhuis, Hoepfner and Oudshoorn earned All-Tournament honors.
Lehigh earned their first ever NCAA Tournament appearance after defeating Boston University in overtime. Maddie Kandra tied the game at 1-1 early in the fourth quarter and Guusje Hogendoorn scored the overtime winner off a penalty corner to win the Patriot League Championship. Maddie Kahn earned Most Valuable Player after recording 12 saves, while Sarah Bonthuis, Julia Gatelein and Hogendoorn were named to the All-Tournament Team.
Last Time They Met
The Blue Hens and the Mountain Hawks have not met since September of 1999 in Bethlehem, Pa. where Delaware won 5-0. Delaware leads the all-time series 15-7 and was on a seven-game winning streak against Lehigh.
Players to Watch
Lia Becker (UD): The freshman forward has appeared in 19 games so far this season for the Blue Hens. She tallied three goals and seven assists for 13 points. Becker scored and dished an assist in a 6-1 win over Drexel in the CAA Championship.
Julia Gatelein (LU): The junior midfielder has started all 20 games so far and logged 1232 minutes. She’s been apart of a defensive unit that has allowed 1.95 goals per game. Gatelein scored the clinching goal in the shootout against American in the Patriot League semifinals.
The winner of Delaware and Lehigh plays North Carolina on Friday at noon.
Miami vs Rider – Evanston – 3 p.m.
How They Got Here
Miami defeated App State 3-1 as Paula Pena Martinez tallied a hat trick in the Mid-American Championship game for their six straight tournament title. Jenna Kirby won Most Valuable Player while Pena Martinez, Luli Russo and Macy McHale earned All—Tournament nods.
After Fairfield struck early, Indy Zoontjens tied the game up at 1-1 early in the first quarter. The game remained scoreless until overtime when Valerie Perales netted the overtime winner for the NEC Tournament Championship. Rider goalkeeper Kaitlyn Tomas was named Most Valuable Player, while Perales, Zoontjens and Lyric Scott were named to the All-Tournament Team.
Last Time They Met
These two teams last met for the first time ever in September 2021 in Oxford where Claudia Negrete Garcia scored twice as Miami won 3-1. Kaitlyn Tomas made seven saves for Rider.
Players to Watch
Paula Pena Martinez (MIA): Pena Martinez ranks first on the Red Hawks with 16 goals and tied for first with 32 points. The junior forward scored four goals in the MAC Tournament and earned All-Tournament honors. She tallied four multi-goal games so far this season.
Valeria Perales (RID): The freshman forward ranks first in scoring with 20 goals and eight assists for 48 points, along with seven game-winning goals. Perales has logged 1110 minutes so far this season. She enters the NCAA Tournament with a four-game goal streak.
The winner of Miami and Rider will play Northwestern on Friday at 1 p.m.
Nov. 6 —
Kate McLaughlin and Brynn Zorilla each scored and the Michigan defense stood up to the challenge as the No. 4 seed Michigan defeated No. 3 seed Northwestern to win their second Big Ten Championship in three seasons at Buckeye Varsity Field on Sunday afternoon.
Despite a back-and-forth first quarter, Michigan struck first when McLaughlin deflected a shot from Katie Anderson for a 1-0 Michigan lead. The Wolverines defense did not let Northwestern register a shot in the quarter as they outshot them 5-0.
Northwestern continued to dictate the pace of play both offensively and defensively as they continued the pressure in the circle in the second quarter. Zorilla helped break up a Northwestern scoring chance late when Bente Baekers had a wide-open cage. Annabel Skubisz made five saves through the first two quarters of play.
Zorilla doubled the lead in the third quarter when she knocked in a ball out of mid-air off a Lora Clarke shot for a 2-0 lead, her first goal of the season. Michigan continued to stifle any offensive chances from Northwestern chances to close out the quarter.
Michigan continued the pressure early in the fourth quarter as Anderson ripped a shot on goal, forcing Skubisz to make another save.
Northwestern cut the lead 2-1 with five minutes remaining when Lauren Wadas chipped it over Anna Spieker on a penalty corner.
Northwestern continued some offensive pressure, but Michigan held strong to secure the 2-1 win.
Northwestern averaged 19.6 shots per game coming into this contest and the Michigan defense held them to 10 shots, with just two on frame. Michigan tallied 17 shots with 10 on frame. Skubisz finished the afternoon with eight saves while Spieker did not make a save.
This avenged a Michigan late season loss to Northwestern the Wildcats prevailed 1-0 in double overtime off a Wadas goal on Oct. 21.
Kathryn Peterson was named Tournament MVP.
Michigan earns the automatic bid to the NCAA tournament, while Northwestern looks to be a lock for an at-large bid. The NCAA Tournament Selection show is scheduled for 10 p.m. tonight on NCAA.com.
Nov. 5 — Northwestern and Michigan are set to face off in the Big Ten Tournament game after knocking off the top two seeds in the semifinals. Michigan is looking for their second title in three seasons, while Northwestern is playing for their first tournament title since 2014.
Michigan fell 1-0 to Rutgers in the Championship game last year, while Northwestern was knocked out in the quarterfinals by Michigan in a shootout loss. Northwestern’s Clara Roth and Michigan’s Sofia Southam and Halle O’ Neill were named to the All-Tournament team.
How They Got Here
Kathryn Peterson converted on a two penalty strokes as No. 4 seed Michigan upset No. 1 seed Penn State in the first semifinal on Friday. Michigan held a 16-9 advantage in shots as Anna Spieker made four saves.
Peyton Halsey scored the game-winner off a penalty stroke in the second quarter as No. 3 seed Northwestern downed No. 2 Maryland 2-1. Alia Marshall scored the opening goal off a redirection on a Maddie Zimmer shot. The Wildcats led 21-14 in shots and Annabel Skubisz made five saves.
Last Time They Met
After a scoreless regulation and first overtime period, Lauren Wadas rocketed home the game-winner overtime goal off a penalty corner with 40 seconds remaining in the second overtime period back on Oct. 21. A tight defensive battle, Michigan outshout Northwestern 14-12, while penalty corners were even at five apiece. Spieker tallied four saves, while Skubisz made six.
Players to Watch
Alia Marshall (NU): The senior midfielder scored the opening goal in a 2-1 win over Maryland with her redirection. So far this postseason, Marshall has tallied a goal and assist, along with recording a defensive save. She is currently on a five-game point streak.
Katie Anderson (UM): A staple in the Wolverines midfield, especially after the graduation of Halle O’Neill, Anderson has been rock solid all year for the Wolverines. The fifth-year midfielder tallied two assists in their 3-0 win over Iowa and helped shutdown a potent Penn State offensive in the semifinals.
Nov. 4 —
A pair of 2-1 wins helped Northwestern and Michigan advance to the Big Ten Championship on Sunday after knocking out the top two seeds in the tournament in Penn State and Maryland. Strong defense, goalkeeping and capitalizing on key offensive opportunities were on display in these two semifinal games. Read up on all the action below!
Continue reading “Big Ten Tournament: Michigan, Northwestern take down top seeds to advance to Big Ten Championship”Nov. 4 — North Carolina won an unprecedented sixth straight ACC Tournament Championship after downing Virginia 3-2 in Durham on Friday afternoon, a rematch of last year’s title game.
Continue reading “ACC Championship: Heck scores twice as North Carolina outlasts Virginia for 6th straight title”Nov. 3 —
The Big Ten Quarterfinals opened Thursday in Columbus, Ohio with six teams facing off for a spot in the Big Ten semifinals. Michigan shutout Iowa, Maryland used four different goal scorers in their win over Ohio State and Northwestern needed overtime to down Rutgers. Read up on all the action below!
Continue reading “Big Ten Tournament Recap: Michigan, Maryland and Northwestern prevail in quarterfinals”North Carolina and Virginia are set to clash in the ACC Championship for a second straight season on Friday in Durham at 2 p.m.
Erin Matson scored the lone goal and game-winner off a penalty corner as North Carolina defeated Virginia for their fifth straight ACC title in 2021. The Tar Heels are looking to win their sixth straight title, while Virginia is looking to win their first since 2016. Matson tied an ACC Tournament record with six goals and set an ACC record for 14 points. She was named MVP, while Cassie Sumfest, Meredith Sholder and Abigail Taylor earned a sport on the tournament team with Virginia’s Amber Ezechiels, Rachel Robinson and Makayla Gallen.
Continue reading “ACC Championship Preview: North Carolina & Virginia clash in title game for second straight season”Nov. 2 —
#1 Penn State – BYE
Penn State earned the No. 1 seed in the Big Ten Tournament after finishing with a 7-1 record. Their 5-1 win over Maryland on Oct. 19 helped them earn a share of the Big Ten Regular Season title. With an overall record of 15-2, the Nittany Lions have been led by Sophia Gladieux, Mackenzie Allessie and Brie Barraco. Gladieux leads the offensive with 20 goals while Allessie leads with 16 assists. Barraco currently holds 1.14 goals against average and .782 save percentage.
Continue reading “Big Ten Tournament: Quarterfinals Preview”
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