PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Starting off its 2021 fall campaign, No. 15 Rutgers field hockey had a complete performance for a 3-0 win at No. 12 Duke on Friday evening. The Scarlet Knights were boosted by goals from Milena Redlingshoefer, Kerrie Burns and Lucy Bannatyne, while goalkeeper Sophia Howard had her first career shutout.

The win marked the team's first win over an active ACC team since its last win over Duke in 1989 and the first win over current ACC team since beating Louisville in 2012.

The game was very even in the opening quarter. Each team posted two shots in the opening frame, which finished scoreless. Sophia Howard made her first career save in the early going.

In the second quarter, Howard made a kick save on Duke's lone attempt of the frame. In the final minute of the second quarter, RU earned the first penalty corner of the game and on the ensuing play, Rutgers was awarded a penalty stroke. Milena Redlingshoefer buried the ball into the left corner for the team's first goal of the season to give RU a 1-0 halftime lead.

In the third quarter, Rutgers had two goals to extend their lead to 3-0. They scored off a penalty corner, as Kerrie Burns redirected a shot from Milena Redlingshoefer into the back of the net. Just four minutes later, it was Lucy Bannatyne scoring her first collegiate goal. She fired in a reverse shot with room from the top of the circle to put RU up 3-0 at the end of the third quarter. The Scarlet Knights held on from there to finish off the victory.

The team will remain in Durham and be right back in action again on Saturday. The Scarlet Knights will face Richmond in a neutral site contest for game two of the season at 2 p.m.

Postgame Notes

• Rutgers freshmen Lucy Bannatyne, Guillermina Causarano, Iris Langejans and Noelle Leaf made their collegiate debuts.
• Iris Langejans and Lucy Bannatyne both earned their first collegiate start in their debuts.
• Bannatyne's goal was the first of her career.
• Sophia Howard also made her first career start in goal, and the sophomore had her first career two saves.
• Rutgers improves to 2-1-1 in the all-time series against Duke, earning the program's first victory over the Blue Devils since 1989.
• The win over the No. 12 Blue Devils was the program's 20^th ranked victory since head coach Meredith Civico took over the program in 2012.
• It marked the 9^th win over a team ranked in the top-12 nationally since 2017.
• It marked the highest ranked win on the road since defeating No. 6 Princeton on September 20, 2019.
• The Scarlet Knights are victorious in the season opener for the fifth straight season.
• It marked the team's first win over an active ACC team since its last win over Duke in 1989 and the first win over current ACC team since beating Louisville in 2012.
• RU dealt Duke its first home season opener loss since 1985.