WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. – Behind a career-high six goals from sophomore midfielder
Samantha Budd, a hat trick from junior attack
Abbey Brooks and multi-goal outings from seniors
Nicole Kopyta,
Paige Paratore and
Kerri Puckhaber, Rutgers women's lacrosse (2-1, 0-0) downed Monmouth (0-3, 0-0), 19-8, Saturday afternoon in West Long Branch, New Jersey.
For Budd, her seven total points (6 g, 1a) marked a career high and tied for second in program history. Her six scores also tied for second in single-game Rutgers history, as she became only the fourth Scarlet Knight to secure six or more goals in a single game since 2007.
As a team, the Scarlet Knights outshot the Hawks, 35-17, forced 19 turnovers and won the draw control battle, 16-3. RU also scooped up 20 ground balls to Monmouth's 11, while nine Scarlet Knights found the back of the cage to contribute to the out-of-conference road win.
In cage,
Devon Kearns played all 60 minutes to earn her second win of the season, as the junior stopped eight MU shots.
"Today was a good day all around," said head coach
Laura Brand Sias. "The team was focused on executing a solid 60 minutes and we developed all over the field. Obviously Sam Budd had a career day, but everyone embraced and executed their jobs well."
Rutgers opened up the contest with a 3-0 scoring run, as Budd converted a free position attempt for a quick 1-0 lead at the 29:20 mark in the opening half. Goals from Brooks and Paratore followed before Monmouth was able to answer for the first time in the contest.
The Scarlet Knights settled in after the Hawk's first strike, adding a 5-0 run to balloon their lead to 8-1 in a span of four minutes. Kopyta converted on her first free position goal of the season, Paratore and junior midfielder
Allie Ferrara netted unassisted goals, while Budd and Kopyta closed out the scoring run with strikes of their own.
RU entered the locker room with a 9-3 lead after freshman midfielder
Taralyn Naslonski buried an unassisted strike at the 3:46 mark of the period. At the half, Rutgers outshot Monmouth, 21-8, and led the draw control battle, 10-3.
The Hawks were the first to score in the second half, but Rutgers answered with five consecutive goals. Puckhaber collected both of her goals on Saturday during the scoring stretch, while sophomore attack
Jordan Drab's unassisted goal with 18 minutes left in the contest provided the Scarlet Knights with a comfortable 14-4 lead.
It was all Budd down the stretch for Rutgers to put the game out of reach for Monmouth. Budd had four goals in a span of 10 minutes, with her fourth at the 6:50 mark making it a 19-7 contest.
Rutgers returns to action on Saturday, Feb. 24, when it hosts Delaware for its first home game of 2018. The game, part of a doubleheader with the men's team, will start at 3 p.m. ET.
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