'This could be anybody's last game': Rutgers women's soccer to host UConn in 1st round of NCAA Tournament
For the 13th straight season and 15th time in 17 seasons, the Rutgers women's soccer team is set to compete in the NCAA Tournament. On Saturday, the Scarlet Knights (11-4-5, 6-2-3) will host UConn at Yurcak Field on Busch campus.
Coming off a strong Big Ten Tournament run, where it reached the championship for the first time since 2021 but lost 5-0 to UCLA, Rutgers is determined to put that result in the rearview mirror against the Huskies (13-4-4, 4-3-3).
"The thing that's important for us is that, look, we're really proud of everything that we've accomplished," said head coach Mike O'Neill. "We recognize it wasn't a good day for us on Sunday, but just the enjoyment of watching them compete and win on Thursday ... is more important than the result."
Key players, including senior defender Emily Mason and redshirt sophomore goalkeeper Olivia Bodmer, have been recognized for their performances this season. Mason earned a spot on the All-Big Ten First Team, and Bodmer was named to the Big Ten All-Tournament Team.
Bodmer — who totaled seven saves and made three consecutive penalty saves — was influential in the Knights' Big Ten Tournament semifinal win over USC.
"Honestly, to me, it wasn't really a huge deal," Bodmer said on the honor. "One succeeds, we all succeed. That kind of just shows our team's success, not really mine specifically."
Bodmer's mindset highlights the team culture at Rutgers, in which each win is a team accomplishment. Mason made similar remarks, acknowledging the team's effectiveness and the privilege of being named for Big Ten recognition.
"I'm absolutely honored because there are so many talented players on this team and I was selected for it, but, like (Bodmer) said, when one succeeds, we all succeed," Mason said on the accolade.
UConn ended the season on a tear, winning its last five games. The Huskies won their first Big East Championship title since 2004 and 11th overall in program history.
"We're super excited for (the) first round of NCAAs and really motivated," Bodmer said. "We haven't had a lot of success in the past couple of years in NCAAs, so we're really determined this year to give it everything we have."
After being knocked out early in the last two NCAA Tournaments, the Knights are determined to make a deeper run this time. Mason, who has been with the program for four years and was at the forefront of the team's Final Four run in 2021, shared the importance of staying in the moment, knowing that every game could be their last.
"At the end of the day, this could be anybody's last game," she said. "So everyone's gonna come out and give all they have and leave it on the field. I think for us, that's like the biggest thing we are doing because we don't know when our last practice is gonna be, we don't know when our last games gonna be and at the end of the day if we put everything out on the field that's all we can really do."
With it being Mason's last season, she is focused on leaving a lasting legacy.
"It's my last year, so obviously, I want to go as far as possible," Mason said. "But at the same time, I know how much talent and success this team has and can have. I think that making sure everybody puts their best forward, and they're trying their hardest and having the best mentality ... is a key factor for us."
Although the team fell short in the Big Ten Championship, the loss has only strengthened their abilities and mindset. Bodmer spoke on how the team is taking lessons from that game into their next challenge.
"Of course, it wasn't the outcome we really wanted, but (the) game's in the past and we're just taking everything we learned from that game and all the games previously into this upcoming game," Bodmer said. "We want to be as sharp as we can."
Saturday's game will kick off at 5 p.m. and be broadcast on ESPN+ and 88.7 WRSU-FM.
"It's the most important game of the year because it's the next one," O'Neill said. "Is there a little bit of extra on the game? Sure there is — you gotta win and advance, you lose and you go home. We just really wanna focus on what makes us special and making sure we kind of enjoy the preparation to the game and not kind of lose who we are because there's only 64 teams left playing in the country."
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