Northwestern will look to earn another national title on Sunday with a win against Saint Joseph’s in the NCAA final.
In an unlikely turn of events, UNC will not be the team challenging Northwestern for a national title after Saint Joseph’s beat the Tar Heels in a 2-1 stunner on Friday afternoon in the semifinals. Instead, the Hawks will look to pull off the ultimate upset with a win over the Wildcats on Sunday to earn their first-ever NCAA title. The Hawks and Tar Heels met in Ann Arbor on Friday for the semifinal matchup and it was clear in the first few minutes that it was going to be an all-out battle between the two teams. UNC possessed the majority of the first quarter, but Saint Joe’s bided its time to find the back of the cage in the second to take a 1-0 lead. Manu Ghigliotti scored both goals for the Hawks, giving them a 2-0 lead. The Tar Heels countered with a goal in the final second of the third quarter. While UNC pulled the goalie with eight minutes remaining, the team was still unable to score the equalizer, giving the Hawks a chance at a national title.
How to Watch Saint Joseph’s vs Northwestern in NCAA Championship play today:
Match Date: Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024
Match Time: 1:30 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN U
Live stream the Saint Joseph’s vs Northwestern game on Fubo:Â Start your free trial today!
Northwestern’s road to the final was not an easy one on Friday, either, as the Minutewomen of UMass held the Wildcats scoreless until the final 11 minutes of regulation play. Ashley Sessa was finally able to break through the UMass defense in the 49th minute of play after Maddie Zimmer pulled off a steal at midfield. Zimmer carried the ball up the middle to find Sassa who put the ball past Myrte Van Herwijnen to score the game-winner. UMass pulled Van Herwijnen with six minutes left in the game, but could not find the equalizer to force overtime.
Northwestern were national champions in 2021 and hope to finish on top once again after UNC won the last two years. With the No. 1 team out of contention, the Wildcats have a strong chance of winning the title, but Saint Joseph’s won’t let it happen easily. Tune in on Sunday afternoon as the teams meet in Ann Arbor to determine the next national championship.
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