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No. 5 Rutgers women’s soccer defeats Bucknell in First round of NCAAs

The Scarlet Knights won 2-0.

By Aaron Breitman
Frankie Tagliaferri scored her team leading 13th goal on Sunday.
Big Ten Conference/Rutgers Athletics

No. 5 Rutgers women’s soccer defeated Bucknell (11-8-3) by the final score of 2-0 in the First Round of the NCAA Tournament on Sunday afternoon at Yurcak Field. It was the 10th consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance for the program and sixth first round win in the past eight seasons under head coach Mike O’Neill.

The No. 1 seeded Scarlet Knights played an attacking style from the start and outshot the Bison 32-10. Credit Bucknell goalkeeper Jenna Hall for keeping the score close as she made 15 saves in the game. Rutgers goalkeeper Meagan McClelland delivered six saves for the team’s 12th shutout this season.

Rutgers opened the scoring in the 29th minute as sophomore forward Allison Lowrey, sent a shot through and it was recovered by Frankie Tagliaferri, Her initial shot off the rebound was saved, but she continued to battle on the play and was able to score on her third shot of the sequence.

In the 61st minute, senior forward Amirah Ali found Riley Tiernan, who dribbled to the middle of the field past several Bucknell defenders and scored on a low sinking shot right outside of the box.

Rutgers has held every opponent this season to single digit shot attempts on goal and held a 17-6 advantage in this game. They also held a 7-1 advantage in corner kicks.

More good news was that All-Big Ten defender and captain, Gabby Provenzano, played all 90 minutes on Sunday. She left the Big Ten championship game the week prior with an apparent knee injury. She was on crutches the following day, but looked very capable in her first game since. Provenzano made a tremendous clearance on this play in the first half.

The Scarlet Knights are now 18-3-0 this season and have advanced to their second straight Second Round appearance. They will host Saint Louis (13-8-1) on Friday, November 19 at 5 p.m. The Billikens upset No. 17 Ole Miss 2-1 to advance.