Portland Thorns FC’s third draft pick of 2021, Amirah Ali, did not feature until the second half in Rutgers’ first-round win in the NCAA women’s soccer tournament, but was pivotal in the Scarlet Knights’ 1-0 defeat of Southeastern Louisiana.
Southeastern Louisiana entered the match looking for their first-ever NCAA tournament win, entering the tourney in good form. The Lady Lions had won eleven straight matches prior to today.
The Scarlet Knights lost to Wisconsin in their last match in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals. This is their ninth straight appearance in the NCAA tournament.