Rutgers women's soccer wins first Big Ten title in program history
Following tonight’s shutout, the Rutgers women’s soccer team is now outright Big Ten champions, claiming the first Big Ten title in the history of the athletics program.
The No. 9 Scarlet Knights (14-2-0, 9-0-0) beat Indiana 2-0 yesterday, recording their 10th straight win of the season. Rutgers also remains the sole undefeated team in the Big Ten.
“Going into this weekend, it's business as usual. We're on the road again which is always big for us because the team is together,” said senior back Shea Holland before the game. “Traveling isn't always easy, but we make it work.”
The Knights opened the scoring halfway through the first 45 minutes of the game. Senior forward Amirah Ali scored a solo goal after a defensive error from the Hoosiers (9-4-4, 3-3-3). Ali’s 6th goal of her 17-point season.
Rutgers did not close out scoring until the 50th minute with a goal from senior forward Frankie Tagliaferri. Tagliaferri leads the team in 12 goals. Junior back Allison Lynch notched the assist, her first of the season.
The Knights outshot Indiana 14-6 and doubled their shots on goal, 8-4. Senior goalkeeper Meagan McClelland registered four saves, marking her eighth clean sheet of the season. Rutgers has held every conference team to six or fewer shots on goal this season.
The Hoosiers tied their last game against Maryland 0-0.
This Tuesday, the Knights were ranked No. 9 in the country according to United Soccer Coaches, their fifth week in a row ranked top 10. The NCAA also ranked Rutgers No. 4 in the country based on their current record.
Freshman forward Riley Tiernan also earned her third Big Ten weekly honor of the season, her second straight Big Ten Freshman of the Week accolade. Tiernan remains at the top of the team and conference with 10 assists to her season.
The Knights will travel to their final regular-season game at 2 p.m. this Sunday in Champaign to face Illinois. The match will be streamed on Big Ten Network+. Live stats will be provided at kickoff.
For updates on the Rutgers women's soccer team, follow @TargumSports on Twitter.
