UW Tops No. 20 Michigan In Ann Arbor Behind Shell’s Second Half Strike

Thursday, September 24

Ann Arbor, Mich.

4:00 p.m. PT

University of Washington

8-0-2, 3-0-1

Michigan

4-2-3, 2-2-0

Team	1	2	Final F
Washington	0	1	1
Michigan	0	0	0

Box Score (PDF)Notes

Maylen Montoya defends an attack in Washington's 1-0 win at Michigan

UW Tops No. 20 Michigan In Ann Arbor Behind Shell’s Second Half Strike

September 24, 2026 | Women's Soccer

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Samiah Shell saved her first goal of the season for a big moment, lifting No. 18 Washington to a ranked road win at No. 20 Michigan, 1-0.

The win extends UW's program-record unbeaten streak to open the season to 10 matches, improving to 8-0-2 on the season.

Less than a week after the Wolverines handed then-No. 1 ranked rival Michigan State a 3-1 defeat on the road, the Washington defense wrangled the Michigan attack, becoming the second team this season to shutout Wolverines.

Tanner Ijams stood on her head whenever called upon during the match, coming up with several highlight-reel saves for her sixth clean sheet in 2026.

Washington created a few early chances in the opening half, first through a slip pass from Angelica Chou that rolled just too far for Jadyn Holdenreid to latch onto before Wolverine keeper Malia Zillman was able to close the space.

Later in the period, Alex Buck collected a loose ball on the wing and used her pace to rush past the Michigan defense. Buck uncorked a blistering shot low, but Zillman dove low to paw the ball away from danger.

However, it was the home team that closed the half on the front foot, forcing a pair of saves from Ijams as the break drew close before Adi Walick rifled a shot just past the UW keeper's outstretched fingers, caroming off the post to keep it nil-nil after 45 minutes of action.

Collecting themselves at the midway break, the Dawgs controlled the pace of play after the restart and in the 59^th minute, Shell broke through to give UW the lead.

10/10 goal, 11/10 knee slide!

?? B1G+ pic.twitter.com/3dTascOXvY
— Washington Women's Soccer (@UW_WSoccer) September 25, 2026

The fourth year snuck in at the far post for what ended up being the lone goal of the night, filling the vacant net after Maylen Montoya's whipped service was diverted by Andrea Leyva.

As has been the case so many times with a lead in hand, Washington was able to hunker down and kill the remaining minutes on the clock, surviving a few dangerous opportunities for the Wolverines to move to 3-0-1 atop the Big Ten table.

The Dawgs remain on the road for another ranked battle in "The Mitten", traveling to East Lansing to face No. 2 Michigan State Sunday at 10 a.m. PT, streaming live on B1G+.

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