Coach Nicole Van Dyke and the Washington Huskies women’s soccer team had a magical run to the semifinals of the Big Ten Tournament but were knocked out on Friday following a 2-0 loss to the No. 8 UCLA Bruins. The Huskies trailed the entire game and were no match for the Bruins.
UCLA outshot the Huskies 19-2 shots on the night, including an 8-2 advantage in shots on goal. Sophomore goalkeeper Mia Hamant made 2 saves on the day but was unable to stop an own goal to give the Bruins a 1-0 lead in the fourth minute.
Hamant was beaten by defender Ayo Oke to double the lead in the 35th minute before being lifted for senior Olivia Juarez, who recorded 5 saves over the remainder of the game.
Senior Ioanna Papatheodorou played in her second straight game after being called up to the Greek national team but had a quiet match with just one shot on goal. Senior defender Jace Holmes had the only other shot on goal for the Huskies.
Van Dyke’s team will have to wait until Monday, Nov. 11, to know their fate when the 2024 NCAA DI women’s soccer selection show announces the 64-team championship field for the single-elimination tournament. Thirty teams will earn an automatic birth, with the other 34 being selected by the Division I Women’s Soccer Committee.