PISCATAWAY, N.J. – The Rutgers men's soccer team (6-3-5, 2-2-2) returns home to Yurcak Field to host Michigan (4-7-3, 1-4-1) on Friday, Oct. 21 for a 7 p.m. game.
The contest will be the final home Big Ten match of the fall for the Scarlet Knights, as the team will travel to Penn State (Oct. 25) for their final league road outing before hosting nonconference foe UCLA (Oct. 29) to close out the regular season.
Last Time Out
The Scarlet Knights dropped a close 4-3 contest at Michigan State on Sunday, Oct. 16. Hugo Le Guennec and Ola Maeland scored first half goals to guide the Scarlet Knights to tie the Spartans up twice, before MD Myers added one last score in the final minute of play.
Myers and Temple Ranked TopDrawerSoccer Midseason Poll
MD Myers and Jackson Temple earned spots on TopDrawerSoccer's midseason rankings. Myers cracked the top-25 at No. 24, the second highest ranking in the Big Ten, and Temple came in ranked No. 66.
The ranking includes the highest ranked college soccer players in the nation and includes sophomores, juniors, and seniors.
Both Myers and Temple have played major roles in RU's attacking unit, each ranking top-3 in every team offensive statistic (goals, points, assists, shots and shots on goal).
Temple was also ranked No. 63 in the preseason poll.
Back on BTN
Rutgers' regular season finale against UCLA on Saturday, Oct. 29 will be broadcast on the Big Ten Network, as announced Tuesday afternoon. The game, originally schedule for 1 p.m., has also been moved up an hour to 12 p.m.
The contest will be the Scarlet Knights' third appearance on national TV this season as the team also appeared on BTN against Maryland (Oct. 4) and will be on the network on the road at Penn State (Oct. 25).
Looking Around The League
With eight points, Rutgers currently sits in sixth place in the Big Ten standings. Maryland and Indiana lead the pack with 12 points.
B1G Time
As a team, Rutgers leads the Big Ten in several categories including assists (33), total goals (33) and total points (99). The team also ranked seventh in both categories nationally.
As an individual, MD Myers currently tops the Big Ten in four of six offensive statistical categories. He paces the conference in goals (12), points (28), shots (51), shots on goal (30).
The Doctor is In
Since transferring to Rutgers in the offseason from High Point, MD Myers has burst onto the scene and made a huge impact in the Big Ten.
Myers stands out when looking around the nation, ranking first in shots on goal per game (2.14), goals (12) and second in total points (28).
The senior forward is the only player in the league to reach 10+ goals in addition to 20+ points with 12 tallies and 28 points. He leads the scoring runner up by five tallies and the second-most points getter by 14.
Through 14 games this fall, Myers has found the back of the net in nine contests, including the last five. He has also recorded points in 10 outings.
The Delran, New Jersey product has converted three penalty kicks this slate on four attempts.
Spreading the Love
Through 14 games, the Scarlet Knights have seen 11 unique goal scorers for 33 goals and 99 points.
MD Myers leads the pack with 12 scores after securing braces against Omaha (Aug. 25), Yale (Sept. 5) and Maryland (Oct. 4) in addition to one-goal outings against Rider (Sept. 9), UAlbany (Sept. 13), Ohio State (Sept. 30), Indiana (Oct. 9), Stony Brook (Oct. 12) and Michigan State (Oct. 16).
Temple (5), Pablo Avila (4), Bouregy (3), Ian Abbey (1), Joey Zalinsky (1), Ola Maeland (2), Hugo Le Guennec (2), Bryan Keating (1), Cole Cruthers (1) and Tommy DeVizio (1) have all also added goals for the Scarlet Knights.
Welcoming the Newcomers
McElderry and his staff added 11 newcomers to the squad in the offseason, including three transfers and seven freshmen.
Transfers MD Myers (High Point), Saahb Kular (Cleveland State), Nick Spittle (Seneca [OCAA]), Zach Riviere (Georgetown) and freshmen William Baker, Sam Delgado, Ian Abbey, Nestor Cabrera, Cole Cruthers, Ciaran Dalton and Dylan Van Der Walt were all welcomed to the team.
The freshmen trio of Abbey, Cruthers and Dalton have made an impact on the team this season, all recording starts. Dalton tops the goalkeepers with two shutouts and four wins while Abbey and Cruthers have each added goals.
Back Again
The Scarlet Knights return 20 student-athletes overall and 11 players with eight or more starts from the 2021 roster that went 9-6-2, the most wins in a campaign since 2015. Notably, All-Region and All-Big Ten selection Jackson Temple and All-Big Ten Freshman Team picks Matthew Acosta and Joey Zalinsky will be returning to the roster.
Graduate students Thomas DeVizio and Pablo Avila made the decision in the offseason to return to the pitch for their final year of eligibility. Last season, the two veterans combined for 13 points, including three goals and seven assists.
Looking Into the Wolverines
After going four matches without a win, Michigan earned its victory since Sept. 23 over Bradley in its most recent outing, 3-0. The win on the 23rd against Northwestern (3-1) marks the only conference victory for the Wolverines this season.
Kevin Buca leads the team with five goals and 12 points while goalkeeper Hayden Evans has played the majority of the minutes in net amassing 48 saves on 146 shots faced.
Michigan owns the 2-7-2 all-time edge over Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights last win came in 2015 with a 1-0 win on the road. Since then, RU has recorded two draws against UM and dropped five contests.
Looking Ahead
Rutgers will get back on the road to face Penn State on Tuesday, Oct. 25. The 8 p.m. game will be broadcast nationally on the Big Ten Network.
Follow Along
Follow Rutgers men's soccer on Twitter and Instagram (@RUMensSoccer) for all of the latest news and updates. The team is also on Facebook (www.facebook.com/RutgersMensSoccer). For all Rutgers Athletics news follow us on Twitter (@RUAthletics), Instagram (@RUAthletics), and Facebook (www.facebook.com/RutgersAthletics). For additional updates, please download the Gameday App.
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