HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. – Rutgers men's lacrosse is heading to the Final Four for the first time in program history. The No. 6 seed Scarlet Knights upended No. 3 seed Penn, 11-9, on Saturday in the NCAA Quarterfinals.
The win over the Quakers marked the team's first time winning two consecutive NCAA Tournament games, reaching the Final Four for the first time. The team is the second overall Rutgers program to make the Final Four this season (women's soccer) and the first Rutgers' men's program to make a Final Four since 1994 (men's soccer).
The defeat of No. 3 Penn ties for the program's highest ranked win in program history (No. 3 Ohio State in 2017 and No. 3 UMass in 2003) and the highest seeded team RU has ever defeated in an NCAA Tournament. It is the sixth ranked win in one season for the program, marking the most ranked victories in one campaign (records dating to 2003).
The third top-10 win would mark three top-10 wins in consecutive seasons. Rutgers has 33 ranked wins since 2003 (24 under head coach
Brian Brecht, all since 2015) and the team is 11-6 against ranked foes in the past two years.
The team snapped Penn's seven game winning streak and improved to 29-6 all-time against Penn in a series that dates back to 1925 but has not been contested since 1986. Rutgers has won five NCAA Tournament games in its history, with three of those coming over the past two seasons.
Rutgers will now play in the Final Four next weekend, continuing to raise the bar for the program. RU will head to Rentschler Field in East Hartford, Connecticut. They will play on Saturday, May 28 at noon, facing No. 7 seed Cornell.
Game Summary
Rutgers established a 6-4 lead, then Penn came back with four goals to take an 8-6 lead.
RU responded with two goals in 24 seconds to tie it at 8-8, then expanded the lead to 11-9 to clinch the victory. After trailing 8-6, RU took a timeout, regrouped, then scored five goals in the next eight minutes, a 5-0 stretch that turned a two-goal deficit to a three-goal lead and ensured the win.
Rutgers was led by
Shane Knobloch with three goals.
Colin Kirst made 18 saves on the day.
How It Happened
First Quarter
RU's defense was locked in early, with no scoring through the first 10 minutes of the game.
Colin Kirst made two big early saves, including one on a Penn extra-man attempt.
Ross Scott would finally crack the lid on the scoring, tallying the first goal of the game on an unassisted tally, wrapping around the net to put RU ahead 1-0 at the 4:57 mark. RU's second goal came from
Shane Knobloch, who fired off a laser on the run for the 2-0 lead. The Scarlet Knights held Penn scoreless in the opening quarter, with
Colin Kirst making four saves and holding Penn to 0-for-2 on the extra-man.
Second Quarter
Early in the second quarter, Penn finally snapped a scoring drought over 16 minutes long to start the game, getting back within 2-1. The Quakers tied the game at 2-2 shortly after.
Ronan Jacoby had the next tally, scoring to put RU ahead 3-2. Penn would then equalize the game at 3-3.
RU went back ahead 4-3 on a spectacular man-down effort. RU got the stop on the defense end and then fired up the transition game, with
Cole Daninger racing the ball down the field, and finding
Ethan Rall in front of the net, as the All-American LSM hammered home the goal. Penn tied it at 4-4 in the final minute of the frame. At halftime, the score was even. RU had a 30-18 advantage in shots, but Penn's goalkeeper made 11 first half saves.
Third Quarter
To start the third quarter,
Colin Kirst made a pair of great saves, and RU capitalized on the other end.
Mitch Bartolo rocketed it home to put RU back ahead 5-4.
Zackary Franckowiak tallied next, as the senior came through to put RU back up by two, 6-4 with 5:58 left in the third quarter. Penn's first goal of the second half came at 5:22, getting them back within one, and another tally on their next possession tied the game. At the end of the third quarter, the score remained even at 6-6.
Fourth Quarter
Early in the fourth quarter, Penn took its first lead of the day at 7-6, then they added to that lead at 8-6, with their fourth consecutive goal.
Shane Knobloch ended that run as he launched in a goal to get RU back within one at 8-7 with nine minutes to play. Then just 24 seconds later,
Ross Scott found
Mitch Bartolo in front, who put home an equalizer to tie the game at 8-8.
Freshman
Dante Kulas scored a huge goal to give RU the lead at 9-8. That was his first goal since March.
Shane Knobloch added another tally to give RU a two-goal lead and then it was defenseman Bryant Bosewell scoring his first goal as a Scarlet Knight to ice the game. Penn had one last push, but RU held it off to clinch the win and ensure that Rutgers would head to the Final Four for the first time in program history.
Postgame Player Notes
Colin Kirst (18 Saves)
- He now has 221 saves on the season, 4th most in a single season in program history.
- In four NCAA tournament games, Kirst now holds an 8.75 goals-against-average and averages 17 saves per game.
- He had six ground balls, and has averaged 7.0 ground balls per game in this year's two NCAA Tournament games.
Ethan Rall
- Scored his second goal of the season, a new career-high for the long-stick midfielder.
Cole Daninger
- Had his first multi-point game of the season
- Set his career-high in assists (3) and points (3)
Mitch Bartolo
- Had two goals, giving him 43 on the season. That ties for seventh most in a single season in Rutgers' history.
Ross Scott
- Scored his 49th goal of the season, placing him alone in second place for goals in a single-season in program history, just one goal short of tying for most goals in a single season in program history.
- His two points game him 72 on the season, tied for fourth most in a single season in program history.
Bryant Boswell
- Scored his first goal as a Scarlet Knight and the first goal of his five-year collegiate career.
