Rutgers
Marquette
Rutgers Posts BIG EAST Win Against Marquette
Sep 29 | Women's Soccer
PISCATAWAY, N.J. - The Rutgers women's soccer team (8-1-1, 3-0-1 BIG EAST) won its third BIG EAST match of the season with a 3-0 decision over Marquette (4-4-3, 2-2-0 BIG EAST).
The Scarlet Knights' 8-1-1 record is the first time in school history the team has won eight out of its first 10 games. Rutgers was able to put three goals on the scoreboard for the third time this season, tying the number of three-or-more goal games it had in 2005.
"We have very good players, very talented players; we have players I know that can finish," said head coach Glenn Crooks. "What happens when you play with certain intensity on the defensive side of the ball, it can often translate into good things happening on the attack. We had a rhythm tonight and a great mentality and that's why I think we were able to score three goals."
In the first half, Rutgers had a number of scoring opportunities, the first coming at the 37:10 mark. Jaime Komar (Matawan, N.J.) lifted the ball over the Marquette defense, looking for Karla Schacher (Tofield, Alberta) in the goal box. Before Schacher could get a foot on the ball, the Eagles knocked it out of play.
Marquette made an attack of its own a minute later when Christy Zwolski looked to put the ball in the back of the net, but Scarlet Knight goalie Erin Guthrie (Sparta, N.J.) came up with the save for Rutgers.
Gina DeMaio (Parsippany, N.J.), who leads the team in shots with 37 attempts in 2006, got her first look at the goal against the Eagles, nailing a free kick with 13:58 left in the first half. As Marquette goalie Laura Boyer jumped to try and save the ball, DeMaio's kick nailed the crossbar and bounced just over the goal.
With 7:50 remaining in the opening half, Marquette got a good look at the goal when BIG EAST Offensive Player of the Week Allison Mallams nailed a cross from the right side. Tierney Brady (Brick, N.J.) ended the offensive attack right in front of the goal as she cleared the ball out of the Rutgers' goal box.
Rutgers gave itself three more chances to score in the final minutes of the first half. DeMaio nailed another free kick towards the Marquette goal, but Boyer was able to get a hand on it. Jenifer Anzivino (Middletown, N.J.) came up with the rebound, but nailed the shot wide. At the 2:32 mark, Komar blasted a cross in the direction of Schacher and Anzivino, but the Eagles, again, were able to end the offensive attack, clearing the ball out of the box.
In the closing minute, Komar again saw Anzivino and Schacher in the box, lofting the ball over the Marquette defense. In traffic, the Scarlet Knights were unable to get a foot on it, ending the first half in a scoreless tie.
The Scarlet Knights came out aggressive in the first half, immediately getting a scoring opportunity. At the 41:44 mark, Kristen Edmonds (Metuchen, N.J.) got a breakaway, dribbling past Katie Kelly and Shannon Cusick to get a good look at the goal. Just as Edmonds went to shoot, Boyer left the goal and dove on the ball to end Rutgers' attack.
After exchanging offensive opportunities, Anzivino gave Rutgers a 1-0 lead. In the 67th minute, DeMaio sent the ball from midfield to Anzivino just inside the goal box. As Boyer left the goal, Anzivino lifted it over her head to give the Scarlet Knights the advantage and netting her fourth goal of the season.
Less than seven minutes later, Rutgers took a 2-0 lead on a goal from Kristie Lang (East Brunswick, N.J.). Lang got the ball from the Anzivino in the midfield, dribbled it into the box and blasted it past Boyer for the goal. The goal is Lang's third on the season.
Rutgers' third goal came from DeMaio in the 76th minute of play. After a Marquette foul, DeMaio lined up a free kick from the left side of the goal, nailing it past Boyer and scoring her third goal of the year.
In goal for Rutgers, Guthrie made four saves. The backline of Nina Montero (Vineland, N.J.), Meghan Ryan (Crofton, Md.), and Komar were without senior captain center back Kim Brandao (Rahway, N.J.), who missed the match after being issued a red card in the Sept. 24 tie with Villanova. Defensively, Crooks was pleased with the Scarlet Knights' effort as Brady moved into the center back position and Amanda Allessio (Langhorne, Pa.) stepped into her spot at midfield.
"The whole idea of how we wanted to defend tonight was with great intensity, but we wanted to keep everything in front of us," Crooks said. "That had to do with people dropping back and making sure players didn't get behind us. I thought we did a very good job of that."
Rutgers will host the backside of a two-week home stand in its next two matches. In Sunday's match, the Scarlet Knights will host South Florida in a BIG EAST contest at 1:00 p.m. On Oct. 4, Rutgers will welcome the Princeton Tigers to Yurcak Field for an in-state non-conference battle. The Princeton-Rutgers match will be broadcast live on Fox Soccer Channel beginning at 8:00 p.m.
Rutgers 3, Marquette 0Women's Soccer Firday, September 29, 2006; Yurcak Field; Piscataway, N.J.
1st 2nd Final Marquette 0 0 0 Shots: MU 8, RU 12. Saves: MU 3 (Laura Boyer, 3), RU 4 (Erin Guthrie 4). Fouls: MU 9, RU 10. Corner Kicks: MU 3, RU 0. Offsides: MU 0, RU 1. Cards: None. Time Team Goal Assist 66:34 RU Jenifer Anzivino Gina DeMaio
Rutgers 0 3 3
72:50 RU Kristie Lang Jen Anzivino
75:57 RU Gina DeMaio unassisted
