Rutgers Women's Soccer moving on in the 2021 NCAA Tournament
A first-half goal by senior Frankie Tagliaferri would prove to be all the offense the No. 5 Scarlet Knights would need in their opening round NCAA Tournament game against Bucknell.
Maybe it was the fact that the team got seven days off to re-group and re-charge. Maybe it’s the fact that the pressure of trying to maintain the thirteen game winning streak was now behind them.
Maybe it’s just the fact that Tagliaferri is simply not ready for her record-breaking career to end. The talented senior forward has played in more college soccer games (111) than any other woman who has ever played the sport.
Whatever the reason, the Rutgers Scarlet Knights came out today in their first-round matchup with Bucknell (11-7-3 overall) determined to give the home crowd a show.
And the fans at Yurcak Field did not go home disappointed.
Excellent goalkeeping, a high-flying offense and a stingy defense is what helped the Scarlet Knights capture the Big Ten regular season conference title, and earn a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. But Bucknell didn’t get to the Tournament by being pushovers. The Bisons, the Patriot League Champions, had the second highest scoring offense in their league this season, and had not given up a goal in their last 4 games.
The Scarlet Knights, dressed in their red uniforms, adopted a swarming defensive strategy in which they would collapse in front of their own goal, forcing the Bisons to take long-range shots from 20 yards or more that were easily handled by Rutgers goalkeeper Meagan McClelland.
Unlike Bucknell’s long-distance shots, RU was getting quality chances in close during the first half. When a wild scramble ensued in front of the Bisons’ net, the Knights got numerous shots and despite save after save, Tagliaferri was able to finally fire one past Bison goalkeeper Jenna Hall to give Rutgers a 1-0 lead at 29:51. For the Colts Neck, New Jersey native, it was her thirteenth goal of the season, and the fortieth of her incredible career.
Despite having the better of the play in the first half, the game remained 1-0 as the second half began. However, whatever head coach Mike O’Neill told his squad during the break, it clearly was what the Scarlet Knights needed to hear.
The Knights took control of the game in the second session, and the scoring chances became more plentiful as the game continued. Time and time again, the Scarlet Knights took the ball deep into Bucknell’s end, but would come away empty. But in the sixty-first minute Big Ten Freshman of the Year Riley Tiernan blazed down the left sideline and cut across to the center of the field before firing a shot to the corner of the net, giving Rutgers their much-needed insurance goal. For Tiernan, it was her fifth goal of the season and gave the Knights a 2-0 lead.
From there, the Knights continued the pressure, making it nearly impossible for the Bisons to mount an attack. In the end, it was vintage Rutgers soccer, controlling the game and posting a convincing 2-0 victory to move on to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
With the win, the Scarlet Knights will now have five days to prepare for their next matchup against the St. Louis Billikens. St. Louis (13-8-1) defeated Ole Miss 2-1 in their opening round contest, and will play Rutgers on Friday, Nov. 19 at Yurcak Field.
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