Rutgers to Play Two BIG EAST Cross-Divisional Matches
Sep 29 | Women's Soccer
PISCATAWAY, NJ - The Rutgers women's soccer team (3-6-1, 0-3 BIG EAST) will play a pair of BIG EAST Conference cross-divisional matches on the road this weekend, taking on No. 21 West Virginia (4-3-1, 1-1-1 BIG EAST) Friday, Sept. 30, at 7:00 p.m. and Pittsburgh (2-5-2, 1-1-1 BIG EAST) Sunday, Oct. 2, at 1:00 p.m.
Rutgers is 3-6-1 overall and 0-3 in BIG EAST Conference play this season following a 2-2 double-overtime draw against Monmouth (2-4-2) Sept. 27. Freshman Kristen Edmonds (Metuchen, NJ) leads the Scarlet Knights with 14 points (5 g, 4 a). Junior Domenique Esposito (Rivervale, NJ) has added eight points (3 g, 2 a). Redshirt junior Nora Crawford (McLean, VA) has posted a 1.17 goals-against average, .600 save percentage and three shutouts in goal for Rutgers. RU returned 13 letterwinners and six starters from a 2004 team that posted a 9-10-1 overall record and a 4-5-1 mark to finish seventh in the BIG EAST Conference standings. Rutgers earned its fifth straight BIG EAST Tournament berth last season, and has played in two of the last four NCAA Tournaments. The 2005 Scarlet Knights are led by senior midfielder Zoe Avner (Paris, France), a member of the 2004 All-BIG EAST Third Team and the 2005 Preseason All-BIG EAST Team.
West Virginia is 4-3-1 overall and 1-1-1 in the BIG EAST Conference following a 3-0 victory against St. John's (5-5-1, 1-2 BIG EAST) Sept. 25. The Mountaineers are ranked 21st in this week's National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Poll and 27th by Soccerbuzz (Sept. 26). West Virginia is rated third by both the NSCAA and Soccerbuzz in the Mid-Atlantic Region. Senior Rachael Minnich leads the Mountaineers with seven points (3 g, 1 a). Junior Lana Bannerman has posted a 0.75 goals-against average, a .742 save percentage and four shutouts in goal. West Virginia returned 13 letterwinners and eight starters from a 2004 team that posted a 15-6 overall record and a 7-3 mark to finish tied for third place in the BIG EAST Conference standings. The Mountaineers advanced to the second round of the 2004 NCAA Tournament.
Pittsburgh is 2-5-2 overall and 1-1-1 in the BIG EAST Conference following a 0-0 double-overtime draw against Syracuse (2-5-3, 1-0-2 BIG EAST) Sept. 25. The Panthers will face Seton Hall Sept. 30. Freshman Jennifer Kritch leads the Panthers with four points (2 g). Senior Jamie Pelusi has posted a 0.95 goals-against average, an .859 save percentage and two shutouts in goal. Pittsburgh returned 19 letterwinners and nine starters from a 2004 team that posted a 6-10-1 overall record and a 2-7-1 mark to finish tied for ninth place in the BIG EAST Conference standings.
Rutgers is 2-7-1 (.250) all time against West Virginia, including a 0-4 (.000) mark when playing in Morgantown. The Mountaineers have won the last five meetings in the series, including a 2-0 finish last season at Yurcak Field (Oct. 15, 2004). Rutgers is 5-2-1 (.688) all time against Pittsburgh, including a 2-1-1 (.625) mark when playing at Pittsburgh. Last season, the Panthers defeated the Scarlet Knights 1-0 in Piscataway (Oct. 17, 2004).
Rutgers will return home to face the defending national champion, Notre Dame, Friday, Oct. 7, at 7:00 p.m. GAME NOTES
