Northwestern Captures Big Ten Field Hockey Tournament Championship

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