No. 13 Michigan beats No. 4 Rutgers 2-1 in Big Ten Tournament Championship

PISCATAWAY, N.J. – The No. 13-ranked University of Michigan women’s soccer team defeated No. 4 Rutgers 2-1 on Sunday at Yurcak Field to earn the 2021 Big Ten Tournament Championship – the program’s third and first since 1999. Senior Raleigh Loughman scored the lone goal of the match in the 27th minute.

Michigan outshot the Scarlet Knights 9-0 in the opening 37 minutes. Third-seeded Michigan (15-3-3) got on the board first in the 27th minute, as Loughman netted her team-best ninth goal of the season, and fourth goal in five games, on a helper from sophomore Sammi Woods. She played a low ball from the top-right of the box to Loughman near the top of the six. Loughman finished with her right foot, lower-left, to put the Wolverines ahead 1-0.

U-M held the vaunted Rutgers offense in check over the first 37 minutes, not allowing the Scarlet Knights to register a shot. RU’s lone attempt of the half came from Gabby Provenzanno on a harmless header.

U-M dominated the opening half, registering 10 shots to only one for Rutgers. Coming into the game, the Scarlet Knights averaged 19.68 shots per match — second best in the conference. Four Michigan attempts were on frame, while Rutgers had none.

.@umichwsoccer strikes first from this @Raledinho beauty. ? pic.twitter.com/vdyZzlB23Z

— Michigan On BTN (@MichiganOnBTN) November 7, 2021

All-Big Ten first team forward Frankie Tagliaferri was held without a shot until the 63rd minute with a listless shot on a set piece that was saved by U-M goalkeeper Hillary Beall, who finished the match with a trio of saves for her sixth clean sheet of the season.

Michigan avenges a 4-1 loss on Oct. 6, its largest of the season and the Wolverines’ only by more than one goal. Sunday’s victory also was the fifth in program history over a top-five ranked team.

Alia Martin was named Defensive Player of the Tournament, Loughman earned Offensive Player of the Tournament and Beall was named to the Big Ten All-Tournament Team.

The Wolverines will await their NCAA Tournament fate during the NCAA Selection Show on Monday (Nov. 8) at 4:30 p.m. The show will be streamed live via NCAA.com.

2021 Big Ten Women’s Soccer All-Tournament Team
Riley Whitaker, Iowa
Hillary Beall, Michigan
Raleigh Loughman, Michigan
Alia Martin, Michigan
Ava Cook, Michigan State
Bailey Kolinski, Ohio State
Sam Coffey, Penn State
Sarah Griffith, Purdue
Amirah Ali, Rutgers
Gabby Provenzano, Rutgers
Emma Jaskaniec, Wisconsin

Individual Awards
Offensive Player of the Tournament: Raleigh Loughman, Michigan
Defensive Player of the Tournament: Alia Martin, Michigan