Rutgers Men's Soccer Cracks National Polls
Oct 30 | Men's Soccer
PISCATAWAY, N.J. - The Rutgers men's soccer team, having posted a 9-1-1 record in its last 11 games including a defeat of No. 8 Notre Dame on Oct. 28, earned a 22nd ranking in College Soccer News' top-30 poll and a 25th ranking in the Soccer America top-25 poll. These are the Scarlet Knights' first national rankings of the season.
After starting the season with a 1-5 record, the Scarlet Knights have won nine of their last 11 games to boost their record to
10-6-1 and earn a first-round bye in the BIG EAST Tournament. Following a 2-1 defeat of the Irish in a quarterfinal match up on Oct. 28, Rutgers made an appearance in the College Soccer News' and Soccer Americanational polls for the first time this season.
Rutgers battled No. 8 Notre Dame in double-overtime, but the Scarlet Knights came out on top as Adam Sternberger (Mays Landing, N.J.) scored both goals in the victory. His first goal tied the game at one, eventually sending the two teams into overtime. Five minutes into the second overtime period, Sternberger scored his second goal of the game to send Rutgers into the semi-final round of the conference tournament where the team will face No. 2 West Virginia on Friday, Nov. 3.
For his efforts, Sternberger was named the College Soccer News' National Player of the Week and also earned a spot on the National Team of the Week.
Head coach Bob Reasso, now in his 26th season at the helm of the Scarlet Knights, says the team's recent successes are a testament to how special these players are and how dedicated they were to turning the season around.
"All year long they believed," he said. "They trained hard and they're a great group of guys to be around. I've been here 26 years and to do what this group has done makes a statement about who they are as individuals and as a team."
The Scarlet Knights now face a tough opponent in No. 2 West Virginia in their semi-final match on Friday, Nov. 3, at Rutgers' Yurcak Field. Rutgers will play in the second semi-final game of the day at 5:30, with live television coverage on CSTV.
