No. 1 Penn State
The Nittany Lions sit first in the Big Ten with an undefeated Big Ten record of 10-0-1. Penn State is led by senior midfielder Christine Nairn with 13 goals, junior forward Maya Hayes with 12 goals and freshman standout Mallory Weber with 11 goals this season. The Nittany Lions swept the Illini 4-0 earlier this year. Illinois defeated Penn State in overtime during the Big Ten Championship game last year to claim the title. The Nittany Lions will face eighth-seeded Iowa on Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. Indianapolis time.
No. 2 Ohio State
The Buckeyes sit second in the conference having only suffered two conference losses, one against Illinois (1-0). The other loss was against No. 1 seed Penn State (3-0). The Buckeyes ended the regular season on a huge multigoal win against Indiana (5-0), making it their sixth consecutive victory. Ohio State is led by senior forward Tiffany Cameron, who has 18 goals and five assists this season. Last year, Ohio State lost in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament to Illinois 4-2 in penalty kicks. The Buckeyes will face No. 7-seeded Nebraska at 4:30 p.m. local time on Wednesday.
No. 3 Michigan
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The Wolverines started off the conference season strong with three consecutive wins. The Wolverines were sitting second in the Big Ten until they suffered two losses at the end of the season. The final conference game ended in a defeat for Michigan against Illinois in overtime (3-2). This loss dropped the Wolverines to third in the conference (7-2-2). Michigan is led by junior Nkem Ezurike, who has recorded 11 goals and one assist on the season. The Wolverines did not qualify for the Big Ten Tournament last season. The kickoff for Michigan will be begin at 7:30 p.m. local time on Wednesday against Wisconsin.
No. 4 Minnesota
The Golden Gophers ended their conference season fourth in the Big Ten (6-4-1). This is one place better than the previous season, when Minnesota finished fifth. Illinois faced the Golden Gophers in the middle of the season and defeated them 3-0. The two teams will meet again Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. to start the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals.
No. 5 Illinois
The Illini woke up at 7 a.m. Monday morning and met inside their locker room in preparation for what they will experience Wednesday. Illinois will begin play in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals on Halloween morning against No. 4-seeded Minnesota. When the two teams met this year, the Golden Gophers swept the Illini 3-0. With two key players out because of injuries during that match, Illinois head coach Janet Rayfield said Wednesday’s game in Bloomington, Ind., will be a battle to the finish.
“Certainly against Minnesota in our first game of the weekend, we were without Shayla Mutz, who has really been sort of the heart and soul,” Rayfield said. “Getting her back on the field the last couple of weeks has certainly made a difference.”
Last year, Illinois was awarded the title of 2011 Big Ten Champions after defeating Penn State 2-1 in an overtime battle. The Illini’s 2012 season started off with two vital components missing. Rayfield, along with junior standout Vanessa DiBernardo, were in Japan for the first seven games of the season. The pair was part of the under-20 U.S. women’s national team, which was awarded the World Cup title. After a season filled with ups and downs, the Illini finished off the conference season with two multigoal wins against Nebraska and Michigan.
Illinois found itself in a similar position from earlier this season in the match against Michigan, needing to rally from behind in order to win the game, but this time came away successful.
The experience from the upperclassmen that participated in the Big Ten Tournament last season will be vital to Illinois’ success.
“Having players who have been in that and had that tournament experience certainly carries over,” Rayfield said. “One of the reasons I fought really hard to get the Big Ten Tournament back, and last year was the first year we’ve had it in a long time, is because that tournament experience is invaluable.”
No. 6 Wisconsin
The Badgers had four consecutive conference wins at the end of their season, including one against Illinois in a double-overtime battle (2-1). However, the Badgers ended their regular season with a loss to Iowa (2-1) placing them sixth in the Big Ten. Wisconsin is led by sophomore forward Cara Walls, who has recorded 10 goals (ninth in the Big Ten) this season and one assist.
No. 7 Nebraska
The Cornhuskers have qualified for the Big Ten Tournament for the first time. Nebraska was included with the Big Ten last year, but it did not qualify for the tournament, although the team ended both seasons with the same conference record (4-7). The Cornhuskers are led by sophomore forward Mayme Conroy, who has recorded 14 goals this season.
No. 8 Iowa
If the Hawkeyes (3-5-3) defeat Penn State in the quarterfinal game of the Big Ten Tournament, it will be its first postseason victory in program history and would also tie the program’s mark for most wins in a season at 13. This will be the third time Iowa has matched up against the Nittany Lions in the first round of the tournament, losing both times.
