Men's Soccer Opens B1G Tournament Play With Michigan
Nov 03 | Men's Soccer
PISCATAWAY, N .J. - Big Ten Tournament play begins for the men's soccer team on Saturday at 1 p.m. as Rutgers takes on eighth-seeded Michigan at 1 p.m. in College Park, Maryland. The winner will advance to the conference quarterfinals against top-seeded Maryland on Sunday.
| Game Seventeen: Big Ten Tournament Play- In Michigan (3-9-4, 1-5-1 Big Ten) | |
| Date | Saturday, Nov. 5 |
| Time | 1 p.m. EST |
| Location | Ludwig Field | College Park, Md. |
| Video | BTN Plus ($) |
| Live Stats | Live Stats |
| Statistics | Rutgers | Michigan |
| Game Notes | Rutgers | Michigan |
| Tournament Info | Tournament Central | Bracket |
THE NEW SEASON
The Rutgers men's soccer team begins Big Ten Tournament play taking on Michigan in the play-in game on Saturday, Nov. 5. The ninth-seeded Scarlet Knights kickoff against the eighth-seeded Wolverines at 1 p.m. at Ludwig Field in College Park, Maryland.
The winner of Saturday's play-in contest will advance to the Big Ten quarterfinals and square off against the tournament's top seed, Maryland, on Sunday at 4 p.m. on BTN.
The Scarlet Knights are fresh off a 3-2 victory at Bradley to close out the 2016 regular season.
In the victory, senior goalkeeper David Greczek became Rutgers' all-time save leader, junior Jason Wright put away two goals and an assist and sophomore Thomas Dovell captured the game-winner on his first career goal.
The Scarlet Knights fought back from an early 1-0 deficit and a 2-2 tie early in the second half for the win.
RU, making it's third Big Ten Tournament appearance, is 2-2 all-time in the tournament.
MORE ON THE WIN
Rutgers enters the tournament after a road win at Bradley last Friday night in a 3-2 victory over the Braves.
The Braves opened scoring in the sixth minute, but it only took Rutgers 1:11 to strike back.
David Greczek, off a long kick, connected with Jason Wright deep in Bradley territory. Wright then reached the back of the Brave net from 12-yards out, finishing into the lower right corner.
Wright's night continued by putting the Scarlet Knights ahead in the 20th minute. Off a free kick from 25-yards out, the Kingston, Jamaica native placed the ball into the upper left corner for a 2-1 RU edge.
Bradley tied the game at 2-2 a little over four minutes into the second half, however, less than a minute later, Rutgers took back the lead. Thomas Dovell, on his first Scarlet Knight goal, tallied the game-winner taking a pass from Wright at the left corner of the box into the lower opposite corner of the Brave goal.
The Rutgers defense held steadfast as the Scarlet Knights endured 10 Bradley shots in the game's final 40 minutes.
ABOUT MICHIGAN
Michigan enters tournament action at 3-11-4 overall and is the eighth seed after playing to a 1-6-1 record in Big Ten play.
The Wolverines are coming off a near upset of No. 1 Maryland last Sunday, falling to the top-ranked Terps, 3-2, in double overtime, giving up the golden goal in the 109th minute.
Michigan held a 2-0 lead at the half and had hopes of giving Maryland its first loss of the season as they clung to a 2-1 edge in the final moments of the second half.
The Terps captured the equalizer with 1:01 left in regulation.
Maryland went on to capture the golden goal with 1:01 on the clock in the second overtime for the win.
On the stat sheet, Francis Atuahene leads the Wolverines with 16 points (6G, 4A) followed by Robbie Mertz with 10 points (4G, 2A). Jack Hallahan, who scored Michigan's lone goal in the 1-1 draw with the Scarlet Knights earlier this season, is third on the team in scoring with eight points (4G).
In goal, Evan Louro is holding down a 1.20 goals against average and .750 save percentage. He has racked up 63 saves over the 16-game regular season, including 11 stops against Maryland, one shy of tying the Michigan single game record.
LAST TIME VS. MICHIGAN
The Scarlet Knights and Wolverines played to a 1-1 double overtime draw in their last meeting back on Oct. 7.
The Wolverines took the 1-0 lead in the 15th minute of action, but the Scarlet Knights knotted the score at 1-1 before the intermission. From the left side, Ross Tetro fed Dante Perez inside the box. Perez, who was charging on net, controlled the ball, passing it to Niel Guzman at the center of the Wolverine net. Guzman played the ball off his chest and blasted it off his left foot into the lower right corner to tie the game in the 38th minute.
Twice Rutgers had chances at a game-winner in the second half that would ricochet off the crossbar, including Ryan Peterson's attempt in the 62nd minute and Guzman's header in the 84th minute.
RU had an opportunity for the golden goal moments into the first overtime. A pair of Wolverine defenders along with keeper Evan Louro slid down to thwart a shot by Thomas Dovell at the far post. The ball made it past the Michigan scramble to the right foot of Perez, but his tap went over the crossbar.
B1G FACTS
Five of Rutgers' eight games against Big Ten competition resulted in overtime contests. Four of those five of those overtime games reached double OT.
The Scarlet Knights captured draws with No. 4 Indiana (0-0) and Michigan (1-1) and lost on golden goals against No. 4 Maryland (2-1) and Penn State (3-2) in the second overtime and Northwestern (2-1) in the first extra session.
Only Michigan State and Ohio State held more than a one-goal margin of victory against the Scarlet Knights.
NEWS AROUND THE NET
Goalkeeper David Greczek became Rutgers all-time saves leader on Oct. 28 at Bradley. The senior has made 367 stops and counting since stepping foot "On the Banks".
Among all active Division I goalkeepers, Greczek is the NCAA Division I leader in career saves (367) and saves per game (4.96).
Among Big Ten keepers, the Fairfield, New Jersey native leads the conference in saves (96) and saves per game (6.00) on the season.
On the 2016 season, Greczek has logged 96 stops, currently ninth on RU's single season saves leaders list.
To date, the senior netminder has posted 16 career shutouts, including his most recent against No. 4 Indiana.
RUTGERS CAREER SAVES
1. 367 - David Greczek '13-present
2. 363 - Joe DeMorat '84-'87
3. 303 - Steve Widdowson '94-'96
4. 275 - Jon Conway '96-'99
5. 214 - Dave Barrueta '88-'90
CLOSING IN ON THE TOP 10
With two goals and an assist at Bradley last Friday night, junior Jason Wright is only two points away from joining the top 10 at Rutgers in points.
In three seasons "On the Banks", Wright has collected 70 points (29G, 12A). Mike Shaw (93-96) and Richard Goodstat ('62-'64) currently stand in a tie for 10th place on the list with 72 points each.
UP NEXT
With a victory, the Scarlet Knights will advance to meet top-seeded and top-ranked Maryland Terps on Sunday at 4 p.m. in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals. The game will air on BTN with Dean Linke and Chris Doran on the call.
Follow Rutgers Athletics on Facebook (www.facebook.com/RutgersMensSoccer) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/RUMensSoccer) for all of the latest news and updates. Fans also receive timely information, including special offers and giveaways throughout the year on both social media outlets along withwww.ScarletKnights.com.
- RU -
