Penn State women’s soccer is the queen of the Big Ten.
With a 3-2 win over top-seeded Michigan State Sunday afternoon in Columbus, Penn State became Big Ten champions for the ninth time in program history.
For the 9⃣th time in program history, the trophy is coming back to Happy Valley! 🏆#WeAre pic.twitter.com/XQyg9LHMQH
— Penn State Women’s Soccer (@PennStateWSOC) November 6, 2022
The team finished the regular season 10-4-3 and earned the No. 6 seed.
It beat No. 3 Wisconsin, 1-0, last Sunday, Oct. 30, in Madison. From there, Penn State beat second-seeded Northwestern, 2-0, this past Thursday in Columbus to reach the championship.
There was no Land Grant Trophy to play for, but Penn State defeated the Spartans in a hard-fought game that wasn’t over until time ran out.
Ally Schlegel was the hero of heroes, scoring two of the three goals, including the game-winner in the 82nd minute.
Michigan State drew first blood early, scoring on a Penn State own goal.
Sparty held that 1-0 lead for most of the first half until Penn State answered in the 38th minute. Kaitlyn McBean tied the game off a free kick by Cori Dyke. Mieke Schiemann headed the ball toward the goal, and MacBean finished it.
Penn State took its first of two leads early in the second half on Schlegel’s first goal, finishing a Payton Linnehan cross in the 54th minute.
The 2-1 lead held until the 75th minute when Michigan State tied it at two on a goal by Lauren DeBeau.
Finally, Schlegel’s second goal in the 82nd minute proved to be the game-winner. Schiemann used her head again to move a Natalie Wilson cross to Schlegel, who finished it and, ultimately, finished Michigan State.
Penn State women’s soccer is going to the NCAA tournament, earning the conference’s automatic bid. The team will find out who it plays and where it plays Monday on a selection show that begins at 4 p.m. on NCAA.com.
