Rutgers Women’s Soccer Is Going to the Final Four
Rutgers women’s soccer is California-bound!
The ladies punched their ticket to the NCAA Women’s Soccer Final Four with another overtime thriller, this one by the count of 4-2 on penalty kicks over Arkansas at Yurack Field in Piscataway.
Rutgers will hit the road for the first time in this year’s tournament, for Santa Clara, California where they will face Florida State on Friday, December 3 in the Final Four. It will be the program’s second ever appearance in the Final Four.
In the shootout Rutgers connected on all four of their attempts while Arkansas connected on two of their four attempts on goal. Becci Fluchel, Ali Amirah, Megan McClelland and Reilly Tiernan all connected on goal for the Scarlet Knights during the shootout, with Tiernan proving the exclamation point to send RU to the Final Four.
It was a big night for Tiernan who scored the opening goal of the game some two minutes into the contest to give RU a 1-0 lead. Arkansas would tie the game on a goal by Anna Podoji at the 7:31 mark. Seven minutes later, Arkansas was in front thanks to a goal by Regean Swindall.
With the season hanging in the balance, Amirah Ali connected on her 12th goal of the year at the 42:50 mark of regulation, knotting the game up at two a piece.
AMIRAH. ALI‼️
— RUTGERS WOMEN’S SOCCER (@RUWSoccer) November 27, 2021
Ali ties up the game with a score in the 43rd minute! Becci FLuchel and Riley Tiernan on the assists to make this a 2-2 game! pic.twitter.com/G7XukBZPEd
Both teams finished nearly identical statistically, with Rutgers out-shooting Arkansas 30-26. Rutgers took 11 shots on goal to just nine by Arkansas.
Megan McClelland was again outstanding in net for Rutgers recording seven saves, including two blocks in the shootout.
𝕱𝖎𝖓𝖆𝖑 𝕱𝖔𝖚𝖗 bound.
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) November 27, 2021
.@RUWSoccer does it again in PKs, winning 4-2. 😱
For only the second time in school history, the Scarlet Knights advance to the NCAA 𝕮𝖔𝖑𝖑𝖊𝖌𝖊 𝕮𝖚𝖕. 💥 pic.twitter.com/XRS4I2Dv9t
