WEST LAFAYETTE, IND. – Rutgers women's soccer (2-1, 2-1 Big Ten) shut out Purdue (1-2, 1-2 Big Ten) by a score of 1-0 on the road Sunday afternoon. Senior back
Gabby Provenzano scored the game winner for Rutgers assisted by freshmen midfielder
Sara Brocious and forward
Sam Kroeger. Junior goalkeeper
Meagan McClelland recorded three saves for her first clean sheet of the season.
The Scarlet Knight defense would hold the Boilermakers to only two shots in the opening half, as McClelland recorded a diving save on one to keep the match scoreless. Rutgers held strong on the attack, rattling off back-to-back shots from seniors
Nneka Moneme and
Amirah Ali shortly after the big stop by McClelland.
In the 42nd minute, Provenzano scored off a double assist from Brocious and Kroeger. Off a short corner, Brocious sent a quick pass to Kroeger near the top of the box. Kroeger played the ball in to Provenzano, who used one touch to net the goal and give RU the lead. RU carried the 1-0 advantage into the break.
Purdue would go on to notch four corner kicks to in the second half, rattling off five shots in the stanza. The Rutgers defense, however, kept the attempts at bay as McClelland recorded two saves on the only two shots on goal.
In the waning minutes, McClelland and the defense held onto the shutout, carrying a 1-0 victory home to New Jersey.
- Meagan McClelland recorded the 21st shutout of her career, sitting sixth all-time on the Rutgers career charts.
- Gabby Provenzano recorded her first goal of the year, marking the third goal and second gamewinner of her career. Provenzano's first game winner also came against Purdue in 2018, giving RU a 2-1 win at home in that match.
- Sam Kroeger added her second assist of the season, owning a goal and two assist on the year.
- Sara Brocious registered the first assist of her career. She becomes the fourth different Scarlet Knight freshman to add an assist this season.
UP NEXT
Rutgers returns home for matches with Michigan State on Thursday, March 4 and Ohio State on Sunday, March 7.
Follow Rutgers women's soccer on
Twitter,
Instagram, and
Facebook. Download the Scarlet Knights App for
Apple or
Android today.
- RU -