Rutgers University
Penn State
Men's Soccer to Finish Out Big Ten Play at Penn State
Oct 24 | Men's Soccer
PISCATAWAY, N.J. – The Rutgers men's soccer team (7-3-5, 3-2-2) will close out Big Ten play on the road at Penn State (5-4-4, 2-1-3) on Tuesday, Oct. 25. The contest, set to begin at 8 p.m., will be the first of two consecutive outings to be broadcast nationally on the Big Ten Network.
Last Time Out
The Scarlet Knights recorded their first win over conference rival Michigan (4-8-3, 1-5-1) since 2015 on Friday, Oct. 21, defeating the Wolverines 2-1. MD Myers and Ian Abbey both found the back of the net to lead the charge for the Scarlet Knights.
RUN IT BACK 👏
— Rutgers Men's Soccer (@RUMensSoccer) October 22, 2022
Highlights from Rutgers' B1G win over Michigan last night!#GoRU | #RUMS pic.twitter.com/0A0KMz2HL1
The Doctor is In
Since transferring to Rutgers in the offseason from High Point, MD Myers has flourished as one of the nation's leading forwards.
Myers stands out when looking around the nation as he leads the NCAA with 13 goals through 15 games this season. He also ranks second in several categories: goals per game (0.87), points per game (2.00), shots on goal per game (2.13) and total points (30).
In the Big Ten, Myers paces the league in four of six offensive categories including: goals (13), points (30), shots (53) and shots on goal (32).
The senior forward is the only player in the league to reach 10+ goals in addition to 20+ points. He leads the scoring runner up by six tallies and the second-most points getter by 14.
Through 15 games this fall, Myers has found the back of the net in 10 contests, including the last six. He has also recorded points in 11 outings.
With two regular season matchups still to play, Myers has already solidified himself in the record books. His 30 points ranks tied for 17th all-time while his 13 goals are tied for 13th in a single season. He is also the first Scarlet Knight to reach the 30-point milestone in a single season since Jordan Hall ended the 2018 season with 30 points.
Monday Morning MD Myers Appreciation Post 👏
— Rutgers Men's Soccer (@RUMensSoccer) October 24, 2022
✅Leading @NCAASoccer with 13 goals
✅First Scarlet Knight to record 30 points since 2018
✅Only player in @B1GSoccer with 10+ goals and 20+ points
✅Has scored in 10 of 15 contests this season, including the last six#GoRU | #RUMS pic.twitter.com/zDrmX9Qu36
Looking Around The League
With the victory over UM, Rutgers jumped bacj up to third place in the Big Ten standing with 11 points, tied with Ohio State (8-1-5, 3-1-2). Maryland (8-2-4, 4-0-3) still leads the way with 15 points while Indiana (7-3-4, sits in second place with 12.
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.
We've got ✌️ Scarlet Knights in the @TopDrawerSoccer top 100!
— Rutgers Men's Soccer (@RUMensSoccer) October 19, 2022
⚽️ #24 MD Myers
⚽️ #66 Jackson Temple #GoRU | #RUMS pic.twitter.com/RPR8ufAxDs
B1G Time
As a team, Rutgers leads the Big Ten in several categories including: goals (35), shots (220), assists (36) and points (106). The team ranks 11th in the nation in both total assists and total goals.
Jackson Temple and Jason Bouregy rank third and fourth, respectively, in the league in assists with six each.
Spreading the Love
Through 15 games, the Scarlet Knights have seen 11 unique goal scorers for 35 goals and 106 points.
MD Myers leads the pack with 13 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), Michigan State (Oct. 16) and Michigan (Oct. 21).
Temple (5), Pablo Avila (4), Bouregy (3), Ian Abbey (2), Ola Maeland (2), Hugo Le Guennec (2), Bryan Keating (1), Cole Cruthers (1), Joey Zalinsky (1) and Tommy DeVizio (1) have all also added goals for the Scarlet Knights.
With 106 total points though 15 outings, this slate marks the first the Scarlet Knights have hit triple digit points since 2015, when the team ended with 123 points.
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 both 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.
Scouting The Nittany Lions
Since starting the season ranked, Penn State has struggled at the end of the regular season, winning just one of its last five outings. The most recent victory came against Michigan State in the beginning of October, 4-1. The team tied No. 13 Ohio State in its most recent outing, 1-1.
The Nittany Lions are 2-2-1 against teams mentioned in the United Soccer Coaches poll, earning wins over then-No. 18 West Virginia (3-2) and then No. 15 Akron (1-0) while also tying then-No. 9 Maryland (3-3) and the Buckeyes. PSU also dropped a 4-2 decision to Indiana, who was receiving votes at the time.
Penn State owns the 17-8 edge over Rutgers in the all-time series between the two teams. The Nittany Lions have won the last nine meetings, as RU's last win came in 2013 with a 4-1 win at home.
Looking Ahead
With Big Ten play behind the team, the Scarlet Knights will end the regular season at home on Saturday, Oct. 29 with a 12 p.m. game against UCLA. The contest will be broadcast live on the Big Ten Network.
