PISCATAWAY, N.J. – The Rutgers men's soccer team is back home to host Ohio State presented by RWJB Health in front of the BTN cameras on Sunday with kickoff set for 11 a.m. in a Yurcak Field doubleheader with the women.
 

RUTGERS QUICK KICKS

• The Rutgers men's soccer team is back to Yurcak Field for a pair of home games starting off with hosting Ohio State in a nationally televised contest on BTN with Dean Linke and Patrick Doody on the call.
• The Scarlet Knights are coming off a pair of Big Ten losses againt two of three conference members that advanced to the 2018 College Cup. In their last home game, RU fell 3-0 to national semifinalist Michigan State while on Wednesday, the Scarlet Knights dropped a 3-1 contest to defending national champion Maryland.
• The Terps broke thru for the Terps in the 57th minute, but Rutgers managed to tie the game up at 1-1 in the 64th minute. Sophomore Nick Cruz, in his second start of 2019, used a high lofting pass from the mid-line ahead to sophomore Pablo Ávila inside the left of the box to tap the ball into the right post. Maryland, however collected the game-winner in the 78th minute and added in an insurance tally with five minutes left.
• The Rutgers men's soccer team is receiving votes in this week's poll. RU appeared in the Top 25 the previous two weeks marking its first poll appearances since the 2016 preseason. The Scarlet Knights have ranked as high No. 22 in the United Soccer Coaches Poll, No. 25 in the TopDrawerSoccer Poll. and No. 26 in the College Soccer News Poll.
• Sophomore Pablo Ávila and freshman Jackson Temple lead the Rutgers attack. Both have four goals apiece and have scored eight of the Scarlet Knights' 13 goals.
• In goal, freshman Oren Asher is third in the conference in total saves (40) and save percentage (.769).
• Ávila and Temple along with Bardia Kimiavi (Northwestern), Devyn Etling (Ohio State), Liam Butts (Penn State) and Joshua Penn (Indiana) each have two game-winning goals in 2019 and are tied for the lead in the Big Ten in game-winning goals.

 

SCOUTING OHIO STATE

• The Buckeyes enter Yurcak Field at 5-4-1 overall and 0-2-1 in Big Ten play.
• Ohio State lost their season opener to Cal State Northridge (4-3) before rattling off five-straight victories. However, the Buckeyes are winless in their last four including a 2-0 setback in their most recent match against Michigan on Wednesday night.
• Devyn Etling leads OSU with 11 points (5G,1A) and is tied with Michigan's Nebojsa Popovic as the league leader in goals this season. Jack Holland follows with 10 points (3G, 4A) and six other Buckeyes have registered at least one goal.
• In goal, Parker Siegfried is holding down a 1.45 goals against average and .605 save percentage with 23 stops. He also leads the Big Ten with a trio of shutouts this season.

UP NEXT

• Big Ten play continues with the Rutgers men's soccer team welcoming Wisconsin to Yurcak Field on Friday, Oct. 11 at 7 p.m

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