PISCATAWAY, N.J. –The No. 21 Rutgers women's soccer team blanked Monmouth, 4-0, on Sunday afternoon at Yurcak Field. Four different Scarlet Knights contributed goals in the victory to push RU to a 2-0 start on the season.

"There were no shots allowed today so that is great from our defense," said senior forward Colby Ciarrocca. "We always talk about denying long balls and denying shots. And that is how we keep a shutout. Knowing that our defense is being so strong behind us, it gives the attack a lot of confidence to go forward."

Junior defender Kenie Wright and Ciarrocca each registered a goal and an assist, while sophomore midfielder Taylor Aylmer and sophomore forward Carina Hendley each added a goal. 

Defensively, RU held MU to zero shots throughout the total 90 minutes of play. The strong performance from the defense guided redshirt junior goalkeeper Casey Murphy to her second win and second shutout of the season.

After freshman forward Amirah Ali was fouled in the box on a breakaway just eight minutes into the contest, Aylmer scored a penalty kick to give RU an early 1-0 lead. 

Wright would go on to cushion RU's lead at 2-0, making her way through three defenders to score an unassisted goal with just seconds remaining in the first half. 

In the second period, RU's third goal would come in the 60th minute of the game. Off a corner kick from Wright, Ciarrocca headed the ball into the goal for a 3-0 lead. Then in the 78^th minute, Ciarrocca joined in with an assist of her own, setting up a Hendley breakaway for the Scarlet Knights fourth goal. 

Rutgers returns to action on Sunday, Aug. 27 with a match against No. 14 UConn. Start time is set for 1 p.m. ET at Yurcak Field.

KNIGHT NOTES

• Six different Scarlet Knights have contributed a goal this season with Aylmer, Wright and Ciarrocca adding their first of the  year in today's win.  
• Carina Hendley leads the team with two goals on the year.
• Rutgers has posted a total of seven goals across its first two games of the season. It marks the most goals to start a season since 2010, when the Scarlet Knights opened the year with a 3-0 and 4-1 win.
• Rutgers' four goals marked the most in a contest since RU shutout Drexel by a score of 5-0 in 2016.
• Kenie Wright added the second goal of her career, as well as her fourth career assist.
• Since the start of 2006, the Scarlet Knights hold a record of 94-17-12 at Yurcak Field.
• With the win, Murphy picked up her second shutout of the season, marking the 31^st of her career. It also marked her 34th win as a Scarlet Knight.
• Freshman Jezlyn Jimenez saw her first action as a Scarlet Knight.

 
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