Rutgers Ready for Final Homestand of the Regular Season
Oct 10 | Women's Soccer
PISCATAWAY, N.J. - The Rutgers women's soccer team (9-3, 4-1) will play its final two home games of the 2008 regular season this weekend, facing Louisville (4-4-3, 2-1-2), Friday at 7:00 p.m., before taking on Cincinnati (6-5-1, 2-2-1), Sunday at 1:00 p.m.
Rutgers has been led by junior Caycie Gusman (Honolulu, Hawaii), with seven goals. Senior Kristen Edmonds (Metuchen, N.J.) has three goals and five assists, while junior Gina DeMaio (Parsippany, N.J.) leads the team and is tied for first in the BIG EAST with 10 assists. Junior goalkeeper Erin Guthrie (Sparta, N.J.) has allowed only seven goals in 12 games while recording 44 saves.
After earning consecutive 1-0 wins over BIG EAST foes Pittsburgh (Oct. 3) and No. 9 West Virginia (Oct. 5), Rutgers received many weekly awards. Gusman tallied consecutive game-winning goals in the two games and received BIG?EAST?Offensive Player of the Week, ECAC Co-Offensive Player of the Week, Soccer America Team of the Week and Soccerbuzz Elite Team of the Week honors. Guthrie earned BIG EAST Goalkeeper of the Week and junior Becky Wise (West Springfield, Mass.) was named to the conference's weekly Honor Roll.
Rutgers is ranked No. 10 in the latest RPI. RU is the second-highest ranked BIG EAST squad, behind No. 5 Notre Dame. The top ranked team in the RPI is Portland, which defeated Rutgers 1-0 on Sept. 26. The Scarlet Knights are also ranked in multiple national polls, including Soccer America (No. 14), NSCAA/adidas (No. 21), Soccerbuzz (No. 23), Soccer Times (T-No. 23) and Top Drawer Soccer (No. 28). Rutgers is tied at No. 2 in the NSCAA/adidas mid-atlantic region poll.
The Cardinals have been led by junior Lindsay Boling, who has six goals and 12 points on the season. Senior Shannon Smyth has three goals and two assists, while sophomore Caitlin Rehder leads the team with four assists. The Cardinals have not lost in their last three matches, with one win and two ties. UofL is coming off a 1-1 tie with Providence on Oct. 5.
RU's game against Louisville will be a part of New Jersey Youth Soccer Night. Admission is free for all youth and high school soccer players as part of NJYSN. For more information contact Jeremy Davis at jdavis@scarletknights.com.
The Bearcats have been led by freshman Julie Morrissey, who has three goals and two assists on the year. Juniors Melissa Bigg (three goals, one assist) and Erin MacDonald (two goals, three assists) each have seven points, while seniors Jenn Johannigman and Kristen May, as well as sophomore Kendall Loggins, all have two goals apiece. Junior goalkeeper Andrea Kaminski has recorded 44 saves in 12 games.
The Scarlet Knights' contest against UC will be on Senior Day, when RU will honor four seniors who have meant so much to the program. A special pregame ceremony will be held for Edmonds, Alicia Hall (Port Republic, N.J.), Nina Montero (Vineland, N.J.) and Courtney Roarty (Edison, N.J.).
After the weekend's slate of games, Rutgers will close out its season on a four-game road trip, starting with St. John's on Friday, Oct. 17, at 7:00 p.m.
