BOYDS, Md. – No. 5 seed UConn defeated No. 2 seed Xavier 2-1 Sunday afternoon in the 2024 BIG EAST Women's Soccer Championship Final at the Maryland SoccerPlex in Boyds, Md. This BIG EAST title is UConn’s first since 2004.
 
With the win, the Huskies earn the BIG EAST's automatic berth into the 2024 NCAA Championship. The NCAA Championship Selection Show is slated for Monday, Nov. 11, at 4 p.m. ET on NCAA.com.

Samantha Wiehe scored the Musketeer’s first goal at the 20:49 mark on an assist from Regan Dancer. The goal is Wiehe’s 10th of the season. Xavier held the 1-0 lead through the start of the second half when UConn’s Laci Lewis scored the equalizer in the 50th minute. Naia Ocio was credited with the assist. Despite multiple chances on both sides, the score was locked at 1-1 sending the game to double overtime. Alayna Taylor scored the golden goal three minutes into the second overtime period off an assist from Chioma Okafor.

With Okafor’s game-winning assist, she was named BIG EAST Championship Most Outstanding Offensive Player at the end of the contest. Teammate Lucy Cappadona was named Most Outstanding Defensive Player.

UConn’s Alayna Taylor, Sophie McCarthy, Anaya Johnson and Maddie Fried were named to the All-Tournament Team. Xavier’s Zoe van de Cloot, Natalie Bain and Samantha Wiehe were also named to the team, while DePaul’s Elena Milam and Briley Hill and Georgetown’s Lawson Renie and Lizzie Heller were all-tourney selections.

Xavier and the rest of the BIG EAST will wait to see if they earn at-large selections. Georgetown is ranked No. 19 in the most recent NCAA RPI, while Xavier ranks 29th. The BIG EAST has three other teams in the RPI top 100 with UConn at No. 48, Creighton at No. 74 and Butler at No. 79.

2024 BIG EAST Women’s Soccer Most Outstanding Offensive Player
Chioma Okafor, UConn

2024 BIG EAST Women’s Soccer Most Outstanding Defensive Player
Lucy Cappadona, UConn

2024 BIG EAST Women’s Soccer All-Tournament Team
Alayna Taylor, UConn
Sophie McCarthy, UConn
Anaya Johnson, UConn
Maddie Fried, UConn
Zoe van de Cloot, Xavier
Natalie Bain, Xavier
Samantha Wiehe, Xavier
Elena Milam, DePaul
Briley Hill, DePaul
Lawson Renie, Georgetown
Lizzie Heller, Georgetown

2024 BIG EAST Women's Soccer Championship 
Presented by Jeep
First Round – Sunday, Nov. 3 (Home Sites)
No. 6 DePaul 3 at No. 3 Butler 3 (8-7, DePaul advances on PKs)
No. 5 UConn 2 at No. 4 Creighton 0
Semifinals – Thursday, Nov. 7 (Maryland SoccerPlex; Boyds, Md.)
No. 6 DePaul 0 vs. No. 2 Xavier 2
No. 5 UConn 2 vs. No. 1 Georgetown 0
Championship Game – Sunday, Nov. 10 (Maryland SoccerPlex; Boyds, Md.)
No. 2 Xavier 1 vs. No. 5 UConn 2 (2OT)