Buck’s penalty delivers Big Ten regular season championship to Washington
The Huskies celebrate their regular season championship after defeating Wisconsin 1-0. They finished 11-1-5.
COURTESY PHOTO/UW ATHLETICS
SEATTLE – In a moment 25 years in the making, the No. 17 Washington women's soccer team secured its first conference championship since 2000, according to a statement by University of Washington athletics. They claim the Big Ten Regular Season Championship with a 1-0 win over No. 15 Wisconsin at Husky Soccer Stadium on Sunday.
With a match in hand, the Huskies sit five points clear at the top of the league table with an undefeated record of 8-0-2 in league play, clinching the second conference championship in program history.
Sophomore Alex Buck delivered the decisive moment for the Huskies, converting a penalty kick in the 53rd minute. From there, the Dawgs did what they've done all season long, locking down the Badgers on the defensive end for their ninth clean sheet of the season.
In a drag-it-out dogfight of a defensive battle, the Huskies led Wisconsin on shots 9-4.
With offensive opportunities limited in the first half, the Huskies were the more threatening side.
After Badger keeper Drew Stover saved Jadyn Holdenried's shot from inside the box in the 27th minute, Buck nearly put UW ahead in the 41st, seeing her attempt cleared off the line by a Wisconsin defender.
Seven minutes after the restart, Buck was dragged down inside the 18-yard box. After a review confirmed the call, the Medina, Washington, native took the ball herself and fired a rocket into the bottom corner despite Stover getting a hand to the attempt.
With the lead in tow and a stout, organized defense behind the ball, the Huskies killed off the final 37:58 of the clock before flooding onto the field as the title celebrations commenced.
Locked in as the league's No. 1 seed, Washington will conclude the regular season next Sunday at Oregon before turning its attention to the Big Ten Tournament, with the quarterfinal round set for Nov. 2. in West Lafayette, Indiana.
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