Men's Soccer Downed By No. 2 Indiana

Friday, September 22

Bloomington, Ind.

7:30 PM

Rutgers University

1-7-1, 0-4-0B1G

Indiana

6-0-2, 2-0-2B1G

Rutgers

Indiana

Photo by: Rich Graessle

Sep 22 | Men's Soccer

Box Score Box Score (PDF)

Scarlet Knights Face Fourth Top Ten Team of The Season & Nation's Fourth Ranked Defense

BLOOMINGTON, IND. – The Rutgers men's soccer team took on the No. 2 team in the nation and fourth ranked defense on Friday night, falling 5-0 to the Indiana Hoosiers at Armstrong Stadium.

Indiana (6-0-2, 2-0-2 Big Ten) remains one of 10 unbeaten Division I teams, along with fellow Big Ten members Michigan State and Maryland.

The Scarlet Knights and Hoosiers battled for seven minutes before lightening put the game into a 53-minute delay.

When play resumed, Rutgers (1-7-1, 0-4-0 Big Ten) and its defense were able to fend off the Hoosiers until the 32^nd minute when Cory Thomas scored the first of his two goals. Thomas captured the game-winner by tapping in a low cross from Spence Glass from the left side of the box at the goal line.

Indiana took a 2-0 edge into the half following a Timmy Mehl score off a free kick from 28-yards out in the 43^rd minute.

The Hoosiers registered a trio of goals in the second half.

Thomas added in his second goal in the 58^th minute, which was shortly followed by Austin Panchot one-timing a header from Rashad Hyacenth off a deflection.

Indiana scoring wrapped up with the Hoosiers taking advantage of a clear attempt and Thomas Warr finding the back of the net from seven-yards out.

In goal, Rutgers' Rafael Pereira made a season-high seven stops. Hoosier keeper Trey Muse stopped three Scarlet Knight shots, including a pair of headers by redshirt junior Miles Hackett directed at the far post.

"The schedule is crazy, hard through this first half of the season. We've got to move on from this first half of the season and now make it all about the second half of the season," said head coach Dan Donigan. "We've got to get ourselves healthy and get a few guys back onto the field. With recent injuries, we've been having to throw guys all over the place in terms of positioning. When you continue to have to do that, you have no consistency in your lineup and your system of play."

Indiana represented the fourth top 10 team and sixth team currently ranked in this week's United Soccer Coaches Poll that Rutgers has faced this season.

"We threw these guys into the fire, into the wolves, with the first half of this schedule. Certainly the second half of the season looks to be more promising than the first half was. We are halfway through the conference schedule, halfway through the regular season schedule and now our attitude is about the second half. We are ready to start fresh. It can be demoralizing if you let it, but going forward and being able to get a few wins under our belt can give us some momentum for the postseason and heading into the conference tournament."

The Rutgers men's soccer team has a short road trip scheduled for Tuesday. The Scarlet Knights make a trip down Route 1 to meet up Princeton on Sept. 26 at 7 p.m. The game will air on ESPNU with Dave Leno and Alecko Eskandarian on the call.

Follow Rutgers men's soccer 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 with www.ScarletKnights.com.

-RU-