Top 5 Goals: NCAA Women’s Soccer

The international break saw the NWSL and FA WSL go on a small hiatus, but that allowed us to check out the best goals from NCAA Women’s Soccer. It’s now fall, which means the college season is underway, with teams around the country looking to capture a national title. So let’s take a look at the best women’s soccer goals from this past week of the NCAA Women’s Soccer season. 

5. Trinity Clark – Texas State University

??????? ???????#NCAASoccer x ? @TXStateSoccer pic.twitter.com/aJ5iY1Fgvw

— NCAA Soccer (@NCAASoccer) September 17, 2021

These are the kind of moments that any soccer player growing up can relate to. The game is tied 1-1 in overtime, and the clock is running down to zero. If no one scores, the match ends in a tie. In college soccer, the clock goes the opposite way; instead of counting up to 45 minutes in a professional match, it counts down. It adds a slightly more dramatic effect, which makes this goal more special. Trinity Clark has three seconds left with just the keeper to beat. Clark does well to keep her composure and slot it past the keeper for the win as time expires. Unreal scenes ensued as Texas State won a thriller.

4. Tori Waldeck – Pepperdine University

Tori Waldeck's 65th-minute goal was the difference as the No. 9 Pepperdine's women's soccer earned one of the best road wins in program history and handed No. 5 TCU its first loss on Thursday evening, 1-0.#NCAASoccer x ? @WavesSoccer pic.twitter.com/2Lav8apbF5

— NCAA Soccer (@NCAASoccer) September 17, 2021

Pepperdine is a soccer powerhouse that doesn’t get as much respect because of their conference and that they’re not as big of a school as a North Carolina, UCLA, Florida State, etc. However, they just picked up one of the biggest wins in school history as they beat No. 5 TCU, the defending Big 12 champs, with this well-worked goal. The field awareness and ability to finish are top-notch from Waldeck. The defender thinks she has her covered with the keeper coming out in support, but instead, she took the shot early with a quick spin and found the net—a historic win for Pepperdine and a team that will need to be given more respect. 

3. Maya Anand – Binghamton University

????-??ℕℕ?ℝ#NCAASoccer x ? @BinghamtonWSOC pic.twitter.com/CXUTlnOS4k

— NCAA Soccer (@NCAASoccer) September 16, 2021

This was quite a great piece of dribbling and balance from Maya Anand, who faked out half of Cornell’s defense. First, she starts on her right foot, then goes left to set up the defender, and then goes back onto her favorite right foot again. None of the defenders see it coming, and Anand calmly slotted the ball home to get Binghamton the win. It’s safe to say Maya Anand will be a huge player for Binghamton going forward. 

2. Hannah McNulty – Providence College

The placement on that shot! ?#NCAASoccer x ? @PC_WomensSoccer pic.twitter.com/Grt7WE85VS

— NCAA Soccer (@NCAASoccer) September 17, 2021

This is another case of, “was this a shot or was it a cross.” In this case, it looks more like a shot based on how Hannah McNulty lined up the strike. The fifth-year player didn’t take any time at all to look and see her teammates in the box; she just saw the keeper slightly off her line. That allowed McNulty to gently caress the ball into the far corner perfectly; before anyone else could react, the ball was in the net, a great goal from McNulty. 

1. Mari Brenden – Stony Brook University

??ＯＭＧ??#NCAASoccer x ? @StonyBrookWSOC pic.twitter.com/lbwlfT1j11

— NCAA Soccer (@NCAASoccer) September 18, 2021

Cornell’s defense was the victim of another special goal earlier in the week; the Big Red can’t seem to catch a break. However, Stony Brook will not be complaining one bit as this superb strike tied things up with less than five minutes to go. The senior from Norway helped her team out and gave them a goal at a critical moment. It looked like Mari Brenden picked up the ball from a throw-in and wasted no time from there. Brenden immediately picked her head up, saw the keeper off her line, and then went for it from distance. No one expected Brenden to take the shot and score, but she did, and it was a thing of beauty. No doubt it takes the top spot on this week’s list. 

_

GIRLS SOCCER NETWORK: YOUR SOURCE FOR GIRLS SOCCER NEWS