Rutgers University
DePaul
Rutgers Posts 1-0 Win Over DePaul
Oct 06 | Women's Soccer
CHICAGO, IL - The Rutgers women's soccer team (11-1-1, 5-0-1 BIG EAST) continues its best start in school history with its ninth shutout of the year in a 1-0 conference victory at DePaul (3-8-1, 0-6-0 BIG EAST).
With the win, Rutgers has won 11 out of its first 13 matches for the first time in school history. The previous program-best record through 13 matches was the 10-2-1 mark posted by the 1985 squad under the direction of former head coach Charlie Duccilli.
"It's a great win. It's on the road, it's on the heels of a really mentally-draining experience with Princeton, being nationally-televised, delayed and with one of our biggest rivals and a very tough team," said head coach Glenn Crooks. "We had to get right back up and travel, sleeping in a hotel; there are a lot of different factors. These are the things that great teams have to overcome and we managed to overcome it today. I'm proud of their performance and I'm proud they gutted it out."
Despite not playing to the level they had hoped, Crooks was still pleased that the team was able to gut out the match, winning their fifth conference contest of the season.
"DePaul really played well," Crooks said. "I think the fantastic thing we have a team that, even though it may not go as well as we'd like it to in the aspect of how we played, was that we still got the goal and hit the crossbar two times and escaped with the win."
Rutgers began producing offensive attempts early in the game, the first coming from Jenifer Anzivino (Middletown, N.J.) in the third minute. However, the scoring opportunity ended on a save from DePaul goalie Cara LaRocca.
Following Anzivino's attempt, DePaul came up with a couple of shots on goal, looking to get on the scoreboard first, but BIG EAST Honor Roll winner Erin Guthrie (Sparta, N.J.) came up with two big saves for the Scarlet Knights.
"Erin made a big save in the second half," Crooks said. "Erin controlled her area very well and didn't give up anything."
Rutgers took two more shots from Gina DeMaio (Parsippany, N.J.) and Karla Schacher (Tofield, Alberta), but LaRocca came up with a pair of saves for the Blue Demons.
In the 25th minute of the game, Kristen Edmonds (Metuchen, N.J.) gave the Scarlet Knights a 1-0 lead, and scored what would be the game-winning goal, on an assist from Schacher. Schacher delivered the ball to Edmonds who headed it past LaRocca from eight yards out for the Rutgers goal.
A few minutes later, Anzivino took a shot, but missed wide, nearly giving the Scarlet Knights their second goal in the contest.
To open the second half, Schacher nailed a shot, but hit the crossbar, ending the scoring opportunity for Rutgers. Schacher took two more shots in the second half, missing right of the goal on both attempts.
With 18:04 remaining in the game, Rutgers nearly scored again when Lauren Esposito (East Brunswick, N.J.) hit the cross bar on a shot. Despite shots by Jaime Komar (Matawan, N.J.) and Schacher, who had a team-high six shots in the game, the Scarlet Knights couldn't find the back of the net, but were able to hold on for the 1-0 win.
"The biggest thing we said before the game was that, this is for three points and a win and we got both. We weren't as sharp as a unit today, we were more reactive than we were proactive. We were a half a step behind things," Crooks said. "Everything in the preparation aspect of this game, from playing a late game Wednesday night, traveling yesterday and then playing in the afternoon today, had the makings of a tough match for us and it proved to be that."
Rutgers will travel to South Bend, Ind. on Sunday, Oct. 8, to play top-ranked and defending BIG EAST Champion Notre Dame at 1:00 p.m.
Rutgers 1, DePaul 0Women's Soccer Friday, October 6, 2006; Wish Field; Chicago, Ill.
1st 2nd Final Shots: DU 13, RU 14. Saves: DU 4 (Cara LaRocca 6), RU 4 (Erin Guthrie 6). Fouls: DU 8, RU 4. Corner Kicks: DU 3, RU 6. Offsides: DU 1, RU 1. Cards: None. Time Team Goal Assist24:52 RU Kristen Edmonds Karla Schacher
DePaul 0 0 0
Rutgers 1 0 1
