Cuneo’s Hat Trick Leads Rutgers Field Hockey to Opening Victory

Friday, August 25

Piscataway, NJ

1:00 PM

Rutgers University

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Kent State

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KENTST

Cuneo’s Hat Trick Leads Rutgers Field Hockey to Opening Victory

Aug 25 | Field Hockey

Box Score RU - KSU Box Score

PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Newcomers led the way for Rutgers field hockey in a season opening 4-1 victory Friday. Transfer Austyn Cuneo had a hat trick in her Rutgers debut and freshman Kassidy Shetler added a goal in the defeat of defending MAC champion Kent State.

"It feels great to get this first win," head coach Meredith Civico said. "Kent State is a really good team and they consistently compete for championships in the MAC. It's a great first win against a really good opponent and I'm really happy for the team."

Freshman Gianna Glatz made seven saves to earn her first career win, holding off a Golden Flashes squad that led 14-11 in shots and 5-4 in penalty corners. Freshman Daphne Groothuis, junior Linde van Schaik and senior Haley Meade added assists on the day.

Rutgers got on the board first, earning a penalty stroke 15 minutes into the contest. Cuneo converted the shot for her first of the day and a lead RU never relinquished.

Just before halftime, the Scarlet Knights made the score 2-0. A shot from Meade was saved, and Shetler put home the rebound.

KSU scored first in the second half, as Silvia Figa Malgosa redirected a shot in to cut the home lead to 2-1. But Cuneo tallied twice more in the frame to put the game away.

With 12 minutes remaining in the contest, van Schaik inserted a corner to the redshirt sophomore, who utilized the setup to score her second goal of the day. Then in the final minute, Cuneo took a feed from Groothuis and completed her hat trick, giving RU the 4-1 final margin of victory.

"It's awesome to see the underclassmen stepping up for the scoring today," Civico explained. "Kassidy Shetler is a local player, she's played her club hockey here at Rutgers. And it sure is nice to have Austyn Cuneo home in New Jersey, and I'm so happy for her after that performance today. We talk about how the team comes first and how every goal we score is a team effort, so I'm so proud of the group today."

"I think this was a total team effort today," Cuneo said. "It was just important to have confidence going into the match. This can motivate our whole team going into the season and having another big game tomorrow."

RU next welcomes Towson for a 1 p.m. Saturday game. The contest is designated as Youth/Junior Knights Day, and the team will sign postgame autographs.

Postgame Notes

Cuneo became the first RU player with a hat trick since Nikki Santore had three goals last season against Ohio.
Rutgers is now 24-15-5 all-time in season openers.
This was RU's first ever win against Kent State in the second lifetime meeting.
Freshmen Gianna Glatz (GK), Daphne Groothuis (M), Gianna Mancini (M), Kassidy Shetler (F) and redshirt sophomore Austyn Cuneo (B) all started in their Rutgers debuts.
Freshmen Gracey Butsack and Kerrie Burns, along with redshirt sophomore Emily Howarth, also made their RU debuts.