PISCATAWAY, NJ - Freshman Nina Montero (Vineland, NJ) scored in the game's final minute to lift the Rutgers women's soccer team (5-9-1) to a dramatic 2-1 victory against in-state rival Princeton (3-6-2) Oct. 11 in a persistent misting rain at Yurcak Field.

Princeton got on the scoreboard 52 seconds into the match. The Tigers sent a ball up the seam and Princeton's Diana Matheson tried to run onto it, but was cut off by a Rutgers defender. RU's back passed it back to the keeper, but it was out of her reach, rolling into the back of the net for an own goal.

The Scarlet Knights nearly got the goal back 30 minutes into the first half, when Domenique Esposito (Rivervale, NJ) tried to cross the ball to Kristen Edmonds (Metuchen, NJ). The ball ricocheted off a Tiger defender and bounced to Edmonds, who was all alone on the right side of the box.
Princeton's keeper, Maren Dale, charged out of her goal, and both Edmonds and Dale converged on the ball almost simultaneously. Edmonds got her foot on the ball, but Dale was able to hold on and deny the goal.

RU evened the match in the 60th minute, when Esposito toe-poked a ball from just outside the box, looping it over the keeper's head. Senior Danae Risoli (Hillsborough, NJ) nearly helped put Rutgers ahead in the 79th minute, bouncing a ball across the box, but Edmonds was just a step late and could not get a shot off at the right post.

But, the Scarlet Knights would not settle for overtime. Princeton was called for a foul nearly at midfield in the game's final minute, and Risoli lined up and launched a rocket inside the box and to the opposite side of the field. Esposito got a head on it, sending it towards the goal line. A waiting Montero cleaned up the loose ball, burying it with 33.2 seconds on the clock, giving Rutgers its most dramatic victory of the season.

'That's Nina,' said sixth-year Rutgers head coach Glenn Crooks. 'She is very determined. On set pieces, we call her Scarlet Knight, and we put her on the back side to shovel up any garbage that gets through. We do that because she's tough. Danae whipped in a tremendous ball on the set piece.
On a night like tonight, you just want to get the ball into that mix in the box.'

RU will host Syracuse Friday, Oct. 14, at 7:00 p.m.

Rutgers 2, Princeton 1
Women's Soccer Non-Conference Match
Tuesday, Oct. 11; Yurcak Field; Piscataway, NJ

Princeton 1 0 1
Rutgers 0 2 2

Shots: PU 3, RU 6. Saves: PU 3 (Maren Dale 3), RU 0 (Nora Crawford 0).
Fouls: PU 12, RU 11. Corner Kicks: PU 2, RU 2. Offsides: PU 7, RU 3.
Cards: PU 0, RU 1 (Team, 89:20).

Team Time Goal Assist
PU 0:58 Own Goal
RU 59:40 Domenique Esposito (5) Nina Montero (1)
RU 89:27 Montero (2) Danae Risoli (1), Esposito (3)