EAST LANSING, Mich. – No. 18 Rutgers field hockey earned a 3-2 win Friday over Michigan State in a nationally televised matchup on Big Ten Network. The Scarlet Knights got goals from a trio of underclassmen in sophomore
Nikki Santore, freshman
Gianna Mancini and freshman
Kerrie Burns in the road win. With the victory, the Scarlet Knights improve to 9-5 on the season and 3-2 in Big Ten play while dropping Michigan State to 7-8 and 1-4 in the Big Ten.
Rutgers outshot the Spartans 20-12. Goalkeeper
Gianna Glatz made four saves between the pipes to earn the win.
The Scarlet Knights thought they had the opening goal of the game 14 minutes in, as a Groothuis shot was deflected in from
Linde van Schaik. However, the referees conferred and after a video replay review the goal was waived off.
Directly after, Rutgers regrouped and immediately tallied a goal.
Austyn Cuneo sent in a long ball and
Nikki Santore dove and tipped it in to make the 1-0 lead count.
Shortly after, Michigan State evened the score at 1-1. After a cluster in front of the net, the Spartans' put the ball into a vacated side of the net to tie the game.
The visitors stormed back, scoring the next two goals. Van Schaik took a shot that was blocked, but the ball rolled away from the defender's stick to the left post. Freshman
Gianna Mancini was there to knock the ball home, putting the Scarlet Knights ahead 2-1.
And excellent defensive play followed to preserve the RU lead. Defender
Emily Howarth cleared a ball off the back line, keeping the advantage in Rutgers' favor.
A corner in the final minute of the first half led to Rutgers' third goal. Groothuis took the initial shot, which was blocked.
Kerrie Burns collected the ball, spun and scored for a 3-1 halftime lead.
Michigan State scored first in the second half. The Spartans executed a penalty corner, getting back within one at 3-2. The two teams traded chances down the stretch, but neither team was able to find the back of the net again, leading to the 3-2 final margin.
The Scarlet Knights will return home on Sunday to host Ohio State. The game, which starts at 1 p.m., will be a 'White Out', with all fans encouraged to wear white.
Postgame Notes
- Rutgers earned the first win in this series since 1989, closing the Spartans' all-time series lead to 8-4-1.
- Mancini scored her fourth goal of the season, Santore her third and Burns her second.
- Howarth's defensive save was her team-leading fourth of the year.
- With goals by freshmen Mancini and Burns, Rutgers' freshmen have combined for 19 of the team's 32 goals this season.
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