Box Score
Video: Coach Brecht Postgame
QUEENS, N.Y. (February 7, 2014) -Behind four goals from Christian Trasolini and multi-goal performances from Jeff George and Jules Heningburg, Rutgers opened its 2015 men's lacrosse season with a 10-8 road victory over St. John's. Kris Alleyne made 11 saves in goal to earn the victory, and five Scarlet Knights scored to lift Rutgers to a 1-0 record.
"I'm excited for the players right now," head coach Brian Brecht said. "We had a great preseason, had a great week of practice, and were very focused on this opponent. We did a good job taking care of what we needed to do, and it was a great team win."
Wearing their road black uniforms, Rutgers got the season off to a hot start, scoring on the opening possession of the 2015 campaign. Jeff George, playing his first game at RU, scored his first goal as a Scarlet Knight just 27 seconds into the season.
Late in the first quarter, the Scarlet Knights added two more goals to take a 3-0 lead. Christian Trasolini scored off a Christian Mazzone assist at the 2:30 mark, and then Trasolini fed freshman Jules Heningburg for his first collegiate goal just one minute later.
The Red Storm countered with their own three-goal run, with Eric DeJohn potting one in the waning seconds of the first quarter, then Stefan Diachenko scoring twice in the first five minutes of the second quarter.
Trasolini again answered for RU, scoring with 3:12 remaining in the second stanza. On the strength of the sophomore's second goal of the afternoon, Rutgers took a 4-3 lead at intermission.
The third quarter saw two scoring runs and a pair of momentum shifts. St. John's opening the second half scoring just 46 seconds into the frame, and scored three times in the first four minutes of the second half. A goal at 8:41 left in the third would then give the Red Storm its largest lead of the contest at 7-4.
However, the Scarlet Knights mounted a comeback, responding with to that 4-0 St. John's stretch with a 5-0 flurry over the next eight minutes of action. Heningburg scored his second of the game with an assist from Joe Nardella, followed by another goal from George to cut the deficit to 7-6.
With four minutes to go in the third, captain Scott Bieda scored a huge goal for the Scarlet Knights. The senior tallied his first goal of the game to even the score at 7-7.
In a tie game, Rutgers earned its first man advantage of the day with 2:45 left in the third. The Scaret Knights capitalized, as Bieda feed a charging Ryan Hollingsworth, who fired into the cage to give Rutgers the lead.
Trasolini completed his hat trick with a nifty move, shooting behind his back to give Rutgers a two-goal cushion at the end of the third quarter. St. John's got within one goal with 10 minutes to play, but the Scarlet Knights defense held strong down the stretch, and Trasolini put the game away with his fourth tally of the game with three minutes remaining.
The battle was fairly even throughout, with shots finishing even at 41-41 and each side causing 11 turnovers.
"The game of lacrosse is a game of runs, and it's going to go back and forth," Brecht said. "I give our guys a lot of credit for fighting back when we were down to get back in the game, and then to finish out in a close game."
The Scarlet Knights will be back on the road next weekend, travelling to Richmond for a contest at 12 p.m. Saturday against the Spiders. Rutgers home opener will be Feb. 21 as the Scarlet Knights host Virginia.
POSTGAME NOTES
· Christian Trasolini led the Scarlet Knights offensively with five points (four goals, one
· It was the fifth five-plus point game of Trasolini's career.
· Trasolini recorded the eighth multi-goal game of his RU career.
· Four players recorded their first points in a Rutgers uniform: freshman Jules Heningburg (two goals, one assist), sophomore Jeff George (two goals), freshman Chad Tolliver (two assists), and sophomore Christian Mazzone (two assists).
· Joe Nardella led the Scarlet Knights with nine ground balls.
· Nardella was 11-of-19 (.578) on face-offs.
· Kris Alleyne earned his ninth career victory in the cage.
· Defender Branford Rogers led RU with two caused turnovers.
· Eight players made their Rutgers debut: Jules Heningburg, Jeff George, Christian Mazzone, Christian Scarpello, Michael Rexrode, Joe Francisco, Alex Schoen, and Austin Dvitcos.
· The Scarlet Knights are now 18-6 lifetime against St. John's, and hold a two-game winning streak in the series.
· Rutgers starters were: Attacker Jules Heningburg, Attacker Scott Bieda, Attacker Jeff George, Midfielder Brian Goss, Midfielder Christian Trasolini, Midfielder Christian Mazzone, Defender Nick Capparelli, Defender Branford Rogers, Defender Michael Rexrode, Goaltender Kris Alleyne.
