Top 5 Goals: NCAA Soccer + Barclays FA WSL

With the NWSL season officially over, our focus shifts to NCAA women’s college soccer and all of the major European domestic leagues. No matter what level you’re playing at or watching, a great goal is a great goal. That’s one of things that makes soccer the beautiful game. It doesn’t discriminate based on who you are or where you’re at as a player, you always have a chance to show how good you can be. Let’s see which goal takes the top spot in this week’s list of best women’s soccer goals from NCAA Women’s Soccer and the Barclays FA WSL. 

5. Riley Tanner – Alabama Crimson Tide

Tanner magic 🪄#NCAASoccer x 🎥 @AlabamaSoccer pic.twitter.com/ApVJjpKbxd

— NCAA Soccer (@NCAASoccer) October 28, 2022

The SEC champs cannot be stopped, as their unbeaten streak has extended to 17 games. Their arch-rivals Auburn were minutes away from securing a 0-0 tie, but Riley Tanner had other ideas.

This is a jaw-dropping header from Tanner that finds its way into the back of the net. Whether she’s looking to head the ball across the goal or not, Tanner did really well just to head the ball at all, and it had just enough on it to loop over the keeper and into the net.

It might not have been how they drew it up, but that’s a header Riley Tanner and Alabama won’t soon forget.

4. Dayana Martin – UCF Knights

B💥💥M #NCAASoccer #SCTop10 x 🎥 @UCF_WSoccer
pic.twitter.com/DngPMQ32Ep

— NCAA Soccer (@NCAASoccer) October 27, 2022

UCF has entered the rankings as one of the nation’s top teams out of the AAC. One of their best players up front is Dayana Martin, who showed off her technique nicely with this goal.

Martin weaved in and around two defenders before going for goal. The striker has great awareness of where she is on the field because her head almost never comes up to see where she is in relation to the goal. It might’ve caught the keeper a bit off guard as well, and by the time she was reacting, the ball was past her and in the net, great strike for Dayana Martin.

UCF will need her to keep contributing if they want to make a deep run in the NCAA Tournament. 

3. Molly Bartrip – Tottenham Hotspur

Wow, @mollybarts 🤯

What a start for Spurs!pic.twitter.com/tTxGMP1qw1

— Attacking Third (@AttackingThird) October 30, 2022

This is quite a hit from Molly Bartrip, who kicked things off well for the Spurs inside two minutes. It would be the first of eight goals, and Spurs coasted to an easy win over Brighton.

It does initially look like Bartrip is lining up to try and put the ball into the box for a cross, but her strike had so much pace, power, and bend on it that it had no choice but to end up in the back of the net.

Tottenham might not win the Barclays FA WSL, but with players like Molly Bartrip, they could sneak in for a top four finish in the league this season. 

2. Quincy McMahon – UCLA Bruins

That goal was scary good! 🕸️👻#NCAASoccer x 🎥 @UCLAWSoccer pic.twitter.com/bvGgu8rcr0

— NCAA Soccer (@NCAASoccer) October 31, 2022

UCLA might have suffered a loss at the hands of Stanford two weeks ago, but they’ve gone on another hot streak since that loss. They’ve won their last four games by a combined score of 13-0 against weaker PAC-12 opponents.

Quincy McMahon helped continue that run with this firecracker of a goal. No one from Washington’s defense stepped up to pressure the ball and essentially dared McMahon to shoot. The sophomore obliged with a wicked rocket that seemed to curve away from the keeper after it left her foot.

That’s an amazing finish from a player who hasn’t scored all that much for UCLA, which speaks to how deep and talented the Bruins are. They are still the team to beat heading into the NCAA Tournament.

1. Rachel Rowe – Reading

Oh. My. Word.

Rachel Rowe scores in the 90' and the 92' to turn the game around for Reading and take the win 😱💥pic.twitter.com/OlhAiesckt

— Attacking Third (@AttackingThird) October 30, 2022

Rachel Rowe has been a long-time veteran at Reading, having been with the club since 2015. The Welsh international doesn’t often score for her club, but she seems to come through for her team when they need it the most.

Reading was trailing 1-0 in the 90th minute. Rowe scored to tie the game and then scored this incredible game-winner to seal the match. Rowe is deep in midfield but doesn’t have many passing options. Instead, she takes on three defenders in the blink of an eye with some nifty dribbling to get in between all of them and line up the shot.

From the moment it left her foot, the keeper had no chance. Rowe smashed this ball into the far corner, and the ball never hit the ground. It had that much power. Take a bow Rachel Rowe, this is one for the history books for Reading FC. 

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