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2021 Big Ten NCAA Tournament Central
ROSEMONT, Ill. — The Rutgers women’s soccer team earned a place in the NCAA College Cup on Friday night, defeating Arkansas, 4-2 in a penalty kick shootout after the teams played to a 2-2 double-overtime draw at Yurcak Field in Piscataway. N.J.
It will be the Scarlet Knights’ second appearance in the national semifinals and first since 2015, when they and Penn State both reached college soccer’s final weekend (with PSU ultimately claiming the first NCAA women’s soccer title in school and Big Ten history). That 2015 season also marked the last time a Big Ten team reached the College Cup prior to Rutgers’ advancement on Friday.
Big Ten Freshman of the Year Riley Tiernan had a goal in the third minute and added an assist, before converting the decisive penalty kick in the shootout for the Scarlet Knights. Amirah Ali had the other goal for RU in the 43rd minute, tying the match at 2-2. Goalkeeper Meagan McClelland recorded seven saves for the Scarlet Knights, making a big stop on Arkansas’ first penalty kick try, and even stepping up to drill home a penalty kick attempt of her own in the third round of the shootout.
Rutgers (19-3-2) will face Florida State, which edged Big Ten Tournament champion Michigan, 1-0 in overtime Friday afternoon in another NCAA quarterfinal match, in the NCAA College Cup semifinals at either 7 or 9:30 p.m. (ET) on Dec. 3 at Stevens Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. The other semifinal will feature host Santa Clara taking on either BYU or South Carolina (those teams will play Saturday in Provo, Utah), with the national championship match scheduled for 8 p.m. (ET) Dec. 5. All three College Cup matches will be televised live on ESPNU and the ESPN app.
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