Friday, September 8
Piscataway, N.J.
7:00 PM
Rutgers University
vs
Michigan State
Photo by: Suzie Wolf
Men's Soccer Hosts No. 13 Michigan State on Friday
Sep 07 | Men's Soccer
Scarlet Knights To Face Nationally Ranked Spartans in Home & B1G Opener
PISCATAWAY, N.J. - The Rutgers men's soccer team returns home after starting the season with its first four games on the road. The Scarlet Knights welcome No. 13 Michigan State to Yurcak Field for their 2017 home and Big Ten opener.
Friday's game will stream live on BTN Plus with Jared Smith and Glenn Crooks on the call. Fans can also tune in and stream the game by Rutgers student radio station WRSU (88.7 FM) with Sean Griffin and Tim Catalfamo.
BACK TO YURCAK:
The Scarlet Knights are coming off a 1-0-1 weekend with a 5-3 victory at Oral Roberts on last Friday and a 0-0 double overtime draw at UMKC on last Sunday.
On Friday night against the Golden Eagles, Rutgers took an early 2-0 lead before Oral Roberts fought back to tie the game at 2-2 in the 55th minute. The Scarlet Knights, however, took the lead for good thanks to three unanswered goals over the span of 13 minutes.
Returning leading scorer, senior midfielder Dante Perez, put RU ahead for good in the 73rd minute of action hitting the cross bar and getting the bounce into goal. He was followed by redshirt senior forward Ethan Vanacore-Decker knocking in back-to-back goals, including the game-winner. Vanacore-Decker ended the game with five points (2G, 1A).
Then on Sunday, the Scarlet Knights earned a shutout against an unbeaten UMKC squad on a hot, humid turf. Junior goalkeeper Rafael Pereira picked up five saves in his first RU clean sheet, which included stopping a PK by reigning WAC Player of the Week, Eric McWoods during the first overtime. Freshman defender Bryce Washington marked McWoods and other than a penalty kick, allowed the Roos' top scorer only one shot on goal.
Vanacore-Decker, meanwhile, led Rutgers with four shots and unfortunately missed a PK opportunity late in regulation.
ABOUT MICHIGAN STATE
The Spartans come to Piscataway sporting a 4-0-0 record having not led up a goal on the 2017 season.
Michigan State is off to its best start since 2007 when the Spartans started the season 5-0 and have put together four-consecutive shutouts to open the season for the first time since 1968.
The Spartans are coming off 1-0 home victories last weekend over Dartmouth and Cleveland State.
A different Spartan has scored each goal this season with DeJuan Jones topping the points chart with a goal and an assist.
In goal, Jimmy Hague has produced 12 saves thru the first four games. In 2016, Hague earned 6.5 shutouts en route to Second Team All-Big Ten honors.
Michigan State was picked fourth in the Big Ten Preseason Poll with senior defender Jimmy Fiscus, senior forward Ken Krolicki and junior forward Ryan Sierakowski named to the conference's preseason honors list. Sierakowski is also on the MAC Hermmann Trophy Watch List.
A year ago, the Spartans put together a 13-5-2 overall record and 4-3-1 Big Ten mark.
LAST TIME VS. MICHIGAN STATE
The Rutgers men's soccer team opened up Big Ten play last season with Michigan State topping the Scarlet Knights, 4-0, at the DeMartin Soccer Complex on Sept. 9, 2016.
The Spartans notched their first goal of the game moments before the intermission and added three more scores in the second half .
Rutgers' defense made several crucial plays to hold off the Spartan offense for nearly the entire first half.
Late in the half, however, Michigan State was awarded several free kick opportunities, which ultimately resulted in the Spartans taking a 1-0 edge into the half.
The Spartans' Ryan Sierakowski broke the stalemate off a free kick. Taking the attempt from just above the 18, Sierakowski got a bounce off the Rutgers wall to find the right corner of the Scarlet Knight goal for the 1-0 lead going into the break.
The trio of second half Spartan goals came midway through the second stanza. Michigan State went up 2-0 after the Spartans worked a takeaway down the right side in the 63rd minute resulting in Michael Marcantognini receiving the ball into the box six-yards out for the score into the corner. In the 78th minute, Hunter Barone put away a Ken Krolicki rebound that hit the corner of the crossbar and pipe. Michigan State then capped off scoring with Krolicki netting a penalty kick in the 80th minute.
Michigan State led 18-3 in shots and held a 7-3 advantage in corner kicks.
Former goalkeeper David Greczek made four saves for the Scarlet Knights, while Philip Stair came off the bench for a save for the Spartans.
TO BE THE BEST, PLAY THE BEST
The Spartans will be the third ranked opponent thru the season's first five games that Rutgers will face.
RU faced two of the country's best during opening weekend with national runner-up and No. 2 Wake Forest and national semifinalist and No. 4 North Carolina.
The Scarlet Knights won't wait very long to face its next Top 25 foe as they travel to No. 5 Maryland on Tuesday for match on BTN.
RU will also face No. 4 Indiana on the road on Sept. 22.
MARKING MAN
Freshman defender Bryce Washington was a key component of the backline that helped Rutgers to its first shutout of the season on Sunday at UMKC.
Washington spent the double overtime contest marking reigning WAC Player of the Week and the Roos' top offensive threat, Eric McWoods. McWoods, after registering two goals and two assists last week, was held scoreless with only two of his shots on goal (one was a PK).
INTO THE MIX
Five different Scarlet Knights helped Rutgers in the scoring department in its 5-3 win at Oral Roberts Friday night.
Redshirt senior Ethan Vanacore-Decker captured five points (2G, 1A) in Rutgers' first win of the season registering his first Scarlet Knight assist in the game's opening goal and added back-to-back scores, including the game-winner as Rutgers battled back from a 2-2 midway through the second half.
Dante Perez captured his first points of 2017 to open up RU's three-goal scoring barrage in the second half. Ten minutes later, Perez had the helper on the eventual game-winner by Vanacore-Decker in the 83rd minute.
Also scoring goals were Niel Guzman and Vincent Borden.
UP NEXT
The Rutgers men's soccer team travels to College Park, Maryland to meet No. 5 Maryland at Ludwig Field. The game will kickoff at 8 p.m. on BTN with Dan Kelly 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 with www.ScarletKnights.com.
Friday's game will stream live on BTN Plus with Jared Smith and Glenn Crooks on the call. Fans can also tune in and stream the game by Rutgers student radio station WRSU (88.7 FM) with Sean Griffin and Tim Catalfamo.
BACK TO YURCAK:
The Scarlet Knights are coming off a 1-0-1 weekend with a 5-3 victory at Oral Roberts on last Friday and a 0-0 double overtime draw at UMKC on last Sunday.
On Friday night against the Golden Eagles, Rutgers took an early 2-0 lead before Oral Roberts fought back to tie the game at 2-2 in the 55th minute. The Scarlet Knights, however, took the lead for good thanks to three unanswered goals over the span of 13 minutes.
Returning leading scorer, senior midfielder Dante Perez, put RU ahead for good in the 73rd minute of action hitting the cross bar and getting the bounce into goal. He was followed by redshirt senior forward Ethan Vanacore-Decker knocking in back-to-back goals, including the game-winner. Vanacore-Decker ended the game with five points (2G, 1A).
Then on Sunday, the Scarlet Knights earned a shutout against an unbeaten UMKC squad on a hot, humid turf. Junior goalkeeper Rafael Pereira picked up five saves in his first RU clean sheet, which included stopping a PK by reigning WAC Player of the Week, Eric McWoods during the first overtime. Freshman defender Bryce Washington marked McWoods and other than a penalty kick, allowed the Roos' top scorer only one shot on goal.
Vanacore-Decker, meanwhile, led Rutgers with four shots and unfortunately missed a PK opportunity late in regulation.
ABOUT MICHIGAN STATE
The Spartans come to Piscataway sporting a 4-0-0 record having not led up a goal on the 2017 season.
Michigan State is off to its best start since 2007 when the Spartans started the season 5-0 and have put together four-consecutive shutouts to open the season for the first time since 1968.
The Spartans are coming off 1-0 home victories last weekend over Dartmouth and Cleveland State.
A different Spartan has scored each goal this season with DeJuan Jones topping the points chart with a goal and an assist.
In goal, Jimmy Hague has produced 12 saves thru the first four games. In 2016, Hague earned 6.5 shutouts en route to Second Team All-Big Ten honors.
Michigan State was picked fourth in the Big Ten Preseason Poll with senior defender Jimmy Fiscus, senior forward Ken Krolicki and junior forward Ryan Sierakowski named to the conference's preseason honors list. Sierakowski is also on the MAC Hermmann Trophy Watch List.
A year ago, the Spartans put together a 13-5-2 overall record and 4-3-1 Big Ten mark.
LAST TIME VS. MICHIGAN STATE
The Rutgers men's soccer team opened up Big Ten play last season with Michigan State topping the Scarlet Knights, 4-0, at the DeMartin Soccer Complex on Sept. 9, 2016.
The Spartans notched their first goal of the game moments before the intermission and added three more scores in the second half .
Rutgers' defense made several crucial plays to hold off the Spartan offense for nearly the entire first half.
Late in the half, however, Michigan State was awarded several free kick opportunities, which ultimately resulted in the Spartans taking a 1-0 edge into the half.
The Spartans' Ryan Sierakowski broke the stalemate off a free kick. Taking the attempt from just above the 18, Sierakowski got a bounce off the Rutgers wall to find the right corner of the Scarlet Knight goal for the 1-0 lead going into the break.
The trio of second half Spartan goals came midway through the second stanza. Michigan State went up 2-0 after the Spartans worked a takeaway down the right side in the 63rd minute resulting in Michael Marcantognini receiving the ball into the box six-yards out for the score into the corner. In the 78th minute, Hunter Barone put away a Ken Krolicki rebound that hit the corner of the crossbar and pipe. Michigan State then capped off scoring with Krolicki netting a penalty kick in the 80th minute.
Michigan State led 18-3 in shots and held a 7-3 advantage in corner kicks.
Former goalkeeper David Greczek made four saves for the Scarlet Knights, while Philip Stair came off the bench for a save for the Spartans.
TO BE THE BEST, PLAY THE BEST
The Spartans will be the third ranked opponent thru the season's first five games that Rutgers will face.
RU faced two of the country's best during opening weekend with national runner-up and No. 2 Wake Forest and national semifinalist and No. 4 North Carolina.
The Scarlet Knights won't wait very long to face its next Top 25 foe as they travel to No. 5 Maryland on Tuesday for match on BTN.
RU will also face No. 4 Indiana on the road on Sept. 22.
MARKING MAN
Freshman defender Bryce Washington was a key component of the backline that helped Rutgers to its first shutout of the season on Sunday at UMKC.
Washington spent the double overtime contest marking reigning WAC Player of the Week and the Roos' top offensive threat, Eric McWoods. McWoods, after registering two goals and two assists last week, was held scoreless with only two of his shots on goal (one was a PK).
INTO THE MIX
Five different Scarlet Knights helped Rutgers in the scoring department in its 5-3 win at Oral Roberts Friday night.
Redshirt senior Ethan Vanacore-Decker captured five points (2G, 1A) in Rutgers' first win of the season registering his first Scarlet Knight assist in the game's opening goal and added back-to-back scores, including the game-winner as Rutgers battled back from a 2-2 midway through the second half.
Dante Perez captured his first points of 2017 to open up RU's three-goal scoring barrage in the second half. Ten minutes later, Perez had the helper on the eventual game-winner by Vanacore-Decker in the 83rd minute.
Also scoring goals were Niel Guzman and Vincent Borden.
UP NEXT
The Rutgers men's soccer team travels to College Park, Maryland to meet No. 5 Maryland at Ludwig Field. The game will kickoff at 8 p.m. on BTN with Dan Kelly 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 with www.ScarletKnights.com.
-RU-
Players Mentioned
D
/ Men's Soccer
GK
/ Men's Soccer
D
/ Men's Soccer
GK
/ Men's Soccer
F/MF
/ Men's Soccer
F
/ Men's Soccer
D
/ Men's SoccerRutgers Athletics Launches the Athletic Excellence Fund
Monday, October 06
R Fund, Knights of the Raritan are YouKnighted | Million Dollar Match
Friday, February 28
Rutgers x Nike Apparel Partnership
Thursday, December 19
Rutgers Athletics 2023-24 Year in Review
Friday, July 12
