Senior Erin Matson scored the game-winning goal with 1:19 remaining to give her side the lead for good after the No. 3 Wildcats tied the score with just under two minutes remaining in regulation. In addition to senior Paityn Wirth, who assisted on the game-winning goal, freshman Ryleigh Heck, who opened the scoring for the day, and senior Meredith Sholder, who served as the team’s defensive anchor in the middle of the field, Matson was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player.
Coach Karen Shelton of UNC remarked, “I’m really delighted for our team and I want to congratulate Northwestern. We had a strategy, and while they had opportunities, we took advantage of them to carry it out. I’m happy for our squad for defending as effectively as we did.”
