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No. 9 WSOC Advances to Sweet 16


Box Score

PISCATAWAY, N.J. -
After one of the best weeks of practice all season, no one associated with the Rutgers women's soccer team was surprised with the way the Scarlet Knights played tonight, at a time of the year when it matters most.

They were energized. They were crisp in their passing and solid in their possession. Both statistically and with their play, they were dominant.

At times, in fact, it seemed as if this team had recaptured the form that produced two prolonged and memorable stretches this season, with a pair of first-half goals powering No. 9 ranked Rutgers to a 2-0 victory over Hofstra in the second game of an NCAA Tournament second round doubleheader at Yurcak Field.

The No. 2-seed Scarlet Knights (18-3-2) advanced to play Connecticut (19-3) in Sunday's Sweet 16 match in a 1 p.m. start at Yurcak Field. The No. 18-ranked Huskies defeated No. 10-ranked Notre Dame, 2-0, in the first game of the doubleheader.

"This was one of our best weeks of practice and that momentum really helped us going into this game," said sophomore goalkeeper Casey Murphy, who extended her school record for shutouts in a season with her 17th. "I think we set the tempo from the start and I was really happy with our performance. I think we played with a lot more freedom.

"It goes back to our hard work throughout the whole season and a really good week of training. I'm very happy we were able to get the win and the shutout."

Senior Erica Skroski, the Big Ten Defender of the Year, likened the performance to those during an 8-0 start to the season and a 10-game (8-0-2) unbeaten stretch that highlighted the second half.

"We practiced well all week and then just came out here and had fun and brought the energy up," she said. "We were more confident tonight and we knew what we needed to do. I think we dominated, I think we kept possession and we came out with the win."

The trip to the Sweet 16 will be the third in program history (joining the 2008 and 2001 squads in that accomplishment) and marks the deepest run the school has ever made in the NCAA Tournament. With another home game - Rutgers is 12-0-1 at home this season - there's a chance to add even more to this record-breaking campaign.

"It's more than I could have asked for when I joined this team," said senior defender Brianne Reed. "I can't wait to be able to play a Sweet 16 game at home and hopefully move on to the Elite Eight as well."

Reed, a First Team All-Big Ten selection, picked a good time to record her first goal of the season, scoring on a header off Samantha Valliant's corner kick in the 20th minute to make it 2-0.

Rutgers had opened the scoring in the 12th minute on a shot by Erin Smith - off a nifty drop pass from Madison Tiernan - that caromed off Hofstra defender Emily Agudelo, leaving goalkeeper Friederike Mehring with no chance to make a save.

Reed's goal put the Pride (13-6-2) in an almost insurmountable hole against one of the nation's best defenses.

"We've been working all season on the movements on our corner kicks," Reed said. "I feel like we've gotten unlucky a few times but Sam played a perfect ball. She's been playing them (like that) all week in practice. I could have not jumped and my head would have touched that ball and it would have gone in. It was perfect."

Once most of the suspense was lifted, with Rutgers on its way to extending the school record for victories in a season, all that was left was to make team shutout record history with the 17th of this campaign.

It happened, but not before Murphy made a diving stop of Leah Galton's penalty kick in the 62nd minute. It was Murphy's first save of the game.

"We hadn't had a penalty kick against us all year and Hofstra went into PKs last game, so (goalkeeper) coach Lubos (Ancin) and I scouted the PKs before the game and I was able to remember that (Galton) went to my right side," said Murphy, the Big Ten Goalkeeper of the Year. "She hit it there and luckily I made the save."

Head coach Mike O'Neill said the shutout record is particularly satisfying because it was a preseason goal of this team and it was set in the biggest game of the year.

"I think it means a lot to them," he said. "You can set as many goals as you want, but if you don't put the work in from that point until today you're not going to accomplish things. From day one they've come in they've given their best. They do have fun - but they work.

"And every day they get better and better, that's the most important thing. We're happy with everything they've accomplished along the way and now going to play in the Sweet 16 is pretty special."

The game with Connecticut will be a rematch from Sept. 13, a game Rutgers won 2-0. The Huskies have won 11 of their past 12 games.

"We saw them (17) games ago," O'Neill said. "We know they've gotten better. We've gotten better. They're a well-coached team. They've got a great attack, which you saw today, and they're defending well. Now it doesn't matter who you play. It still has to be about us and what we do."

Game Notes

  • With the victory, the Scarlet Knights advance to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament for the third time in program history and first time since 2008. RU will play No. 18 UConn Sunday in the third round of the tournament. Rutgers also made it to the Sweet 16 in 2001.
  • Rutgers improved to 9-7-4 all-time in NCAA Tournament matches and 5-0-2 all-time in home NCAA Tourney contests.
  • The 18 wins for the Scarlet Knights this season extends the program record.
  • RU recorded its 17th clean sheet of the year, setting a new program record for shutouts in a season.
  • The Scarlet Knights improved to 12-0-1 at Yurcak Field this season setting a new record for home wins in a season.
  • In its last 35 contests at Yurcak Field, Rutgers is 32-2-1.
  • When taking a lead into halftime this season, Rutgers is 11-0-0. Since 2008, RU has a 50-2-2 mark when leading teams at the half.
  • Through 23 matches 10 different Scarlet Knights have scored game-winning goals, the most since nine players notched game-winners in 2009.
  • Murphy lowered RU's goals-against average to 0.35 this season. RU has allowed just eight goals in 23 matches.
  • Reed posted her first goal of the season and third of her career.
  • Valliant notched her team-leading fourth assist of the year. She is tied for second on the team on the team with 10 points.
  • Murphy recorded her 17th shutout of the season.
  • Hayley Katkowski started her 87th consecutive game for Rutgers since her career began in 2012. She is second on Rutgers' all-time list for starts in a career.
  • Skroski played the full time for the 21st time this season. Reed and Katkowski logged the full time for the 17th time.Erin Smith played the full time for the eighth time this season.


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Players Mentioned

Hayley Katkowski

#11 Hayley Katkowski

M
5' 5"
Senior
Brianne Reed

#22 Brianne Reed

B
5' 5"
Senior
Erica Skroski

#3 Erica Skroski

B
5' 6"
Senior
Samantha Valliant

#14 Samantha Valliant

M
5' 8"
Senior
Casey Murphy

#23 Casey Murphy

GK
6' 0"
Freshman
Erin Smith

#15 Erin Smith

B
5' 7"
Sophomore
Madison Tiernan

#73 Madison Tiernan

F/M
5' 4"
Sophomore

Players Mentioned

Hayley Katkowski

#11 Hayley Katkowski

5' 5"
Senior
M
Brianne Reed

#22 Brianne Reed

5' 5"
Senior
B
Erica Skroski

#3 Erica Skroski

5' 6"
Senior
B
Samantha Valliant

#14 Samantha Valliant

5' 8"
Senior
M
Casey Murphy

#23 Casey Murphy

6' 0"
Freshman
GK
Erin Smith

#15 Erin Smith

5' 7"
Sophomore
B
Madison Tiernan

#73 Madison Tiernan

5' 4"
Sophomore
F/M
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