MILWAUKEE – The Milwaukee women's soccer team will play No. 6 Michigan State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The postseason contest will take place November 11 in Michigan.

Full NCAA Bracket (PDF)
 
The team found out its first-round matchup late this afternoon when the field and bracket for the 2022 NCAA Division I Women's Soccer Championship were announced by the NCAA Division I Women's Soccer Committee on NCAA.com.

"We don't know a lot about Michigan State yet, but we will," head coach Kevin Boyd said. "We know they are very, very good. They won their conference and lost in the finals of the conference tournament against Penn State. I expect it's going to be a battle and a real tough game but we are going to be up for it."
 
Boyd will be taking his third different program to the NCAA Tournament (joining trips by Arizona State and Cal) as a head coach.
 
"Not getting overwhelmed by the moment," Boyd responded when asked what was the key to being successful in the NCAA Tournament. "Just showing up and being focused on what you are trying to do."
 
The Panthers (12-3-3) and the Spartans (16-2-3) will square off Friday November 11 at DeMartin Stadium in East Lansing, Michigan. Kick-off is scheduled for 5 p.m. CST. The winner of the match will face the winner of the match between UTSA (12-5-4) and TCU (12-4-5) the following weekend.

The Panthers are making their 16th appearance in the NCAA Tournament and 15th with the Horizon League's automatic berth. Milwaukee made previous tournament trips in 1997, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2008-13, 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021.
 
Milwaukee enters the NCAA Tournament at 12-3-3 and is on an 11-game unbeaten streak (9-0-2), including wins in seven consecutive contests that wrapped up this weekend with a 3-1 victory over IUPUI in the Horizon League Tournament semifinals and a 1-0 shutout over Youngstown State in the title game, led by the only goal of the contest scored by Horizon League Tournament Most Valuable Player Haley Johnson.
 
Johnson is capping her MKE career of in style, currently leading the team and the conference in both points (19) and goals (8). She is one of four Panthers to record double-digit point totals, joined by Kayla Rollins (18 on 8G/2A), Lainey Higgins (14 on 3G and league-leading 8 assists), and Natalie Auble (13 on 4G/5A).
 
In net, Kendall Edwards has been on an impressive run down the stretch and currently has posted a 0.63 goals-against average and .838 save percentage on the season. She has six shutouts, including the 1-0 victory in the league title game Saturday, earning her a spot on the All-Tournament Team.
 
MSU checks in at 16-2-3 on the season, setting a program record for regular-season victories. The Spartans won the regular season Big Ten Championship by going 9-0-1 in the league but fell to Penn State after making their first-ever appearance in the Big Ten Tournament Championship game. Lauren DeBeau was selected as B1G Forward of the Year and leads her squad with 23 points on 10 goals and three assists. Ruby Diodati collected Defender of the Year honors and leads the Spartans with eight assists. Lauren Kozal was chosen as Goalkeeper of the Year and has an .866 save percentage and ten shutouts.
 
In his second season leading the Spartans, Jeff Hosler was voted B1G Coach of the Year. MSU was ranked No. 6 in the United Soccer Coaches poll and No. 12 in RPI heading into play last week.
 
In the past, MKE has also been sent to Minnesota (1997), Madison (2009/2019), Ann Arbor (2013), California (2018), North Carolina (2020), Ohio (2021), Notre Dame three times (2006, 08, 12) and across town to Marquette four times (2001-02, 2005, 2010). They also hosted their 2011 first-round match.
 
First round action will be played November 11-13, while the second/third rounds will be held November 18 and 20, with the quarterfinals on November 25 or 26. This 41^st annual NCAA Women's College Cup will be played Dec. 2 and 5 at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, North Carolina.