TOURNAMENT CENTRAL
ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Freshman Olivia Bent-Cole scored the game-winning goal with 2:21 left in double overtime to lift No. 1 seed Northwestern to a 1-0 victory over No. 3 seed Maryland in the Big Ten Tournament Championship Game held at Phyllis Ocker Field Sunday afternoon.
The top-ranked Wildcats (18-1) receive the conference’s automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament, which begins next week. The Big Ten will find out how many additional teams receive at-large berths when the tournament bracket is revealed tonight at 9 p.m. CT on the Selection Show, streaming on NCAA.com.
Northwestern, winners of 18-straight matches, finished with a 17-3 advantage in penalty corners, which included six in the first 10-minute overtime period. Eighth-ranked Maryland (16-5) was up to the task defensively, blocking numerous shots to force a second overtime.
Terrapin freshman goalkeeper Alyssa Klebasko made nine saves while Northwestern’s counterpart Annabel Skubisz turned away five shots and was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player.
All-Tournament Team
Esme Gibson, Iowa
Josie Hollamon, Maryland
Alyssa Klebasko, Maryland
Lora Clarke, Michigan
Olivia Bent-Cole, Northwestern
Katie Jones, Northwestern
Annabel Skubisz, Northwestern
Leanne Bough, Ohio State
Makenna Webster, Ohio State
Sophia Gladieux, Penn State
Lucy Bannatyne, Rutgers
Paulina Niklaus, Rutgers
Most Valuable Player
Annabel Skubisz, Northwestern
