PISCATAWAY, N.J. – No. 24 and fifth-seeded Rutgers women's soccer (13-5-2) exited the NCAA Tournament with a 1-0 loss in the first round to Brown (13-2-2) on Saturday evening at Yurcak Field.
 
The Bears, the three-time Ivy League champions, scored the game-winner in the 81st minute off the head of Ava Seelenfeund before holding on for the remainder to complete the shutout victory and advance in the national bracket.
 
Never out without a fight, the Scarlet Knights made a valiant final attempt at an equalizer with less than a minute on the clock. Sam Kroeger stepped up to a free kick and put a screamer on target to the right side of the net, only to watch a diving Bella Schopp stop the shot for Brown. The rebound attempt was chested wide of net by Adriana Kuryla, and the final chance went by the wayside. It was Rutgers' only shot on goal in the second half.
 
Brown outshot Rutgers, 15-10, in the contest with a 4-3 edge in shots on goal. Becci Fluchel and Allison Lynch, who played their usual 90 minutes on the pitch, placed the other two Scarlet Knight shots on target in the second half, forcing saves from Schopp.
 
Rutgers bows out of the national championships in its 11th consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament. The program is now 15-12-9 all-time in the big dance, and lost for the just the second time in regulation in its 16th home NCAA Tournament match.
 
The night marked the final collegiate game for graduate student goalkeeper Meagan McClelland, who will graduate as the NCAA's all-time minutes played leader at 9,482:27.
 
Brown advances to the second round to take on UC Irvine, which beat No. 4 seed USC on Saturday. The match will be hosted by the region's top seed, No. 1 Alabama.


Stay up to date on the latest news and schedule updates by following Rutgers women's soccer on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Download the Scarlet Knights App for Apple or Android today.
-RU-