PISCATAWAY, N.J. – No. 6 Rutgers women's soccer (7-0-0) continues a five-match homestand and concludes 2022 non-conference play at Yurcak Field on Sun., Sept. 11 at 12 p.m. against unbeaten LSU (5-0-2). Attendance is free and fans are required to register for free parking in the Blue Lot outside Yurcak Field (one-time registration for the 2022 season).

The Scarlet Knights matched the program's best seven-match start in school history and will look to join the 2015 team as the only squads to start a season 8-0-0.

I

HOW TO FOLLOW: Watch on B1G+ | Live Stats | WRSU | @ruwsoccer on Instagram

II

PREVIOUSLY ON...
The Scarlet Knights continued their torrid start to the 2022 season by erasing a 1-0 deficit to La Salle (5-2-0) with three unanswered goals to claim a 3-1 victory at Yurcak Field on Thursday evening.
 
These Scarlet Knights become one of just two teams in program history to begin a campaign 7-0-0, joining the 2015 College Cup team that began 8-0-0.
 
La Salle struck first on Thursday, drawing a penalty in the 8th minute as Alyssa Gargiulo converted for the 1-0 lead. Rutgers responded with three unanswered goals from Allison Lowrey, a La Salle own goal, and some final insurance from Kylie Daigle.

III

SCOUTING THE TIGERS: LSU is unbeaten at 5-0-2 through seven matches, including wins in its last four. The Tigers are coming off a 2-0 victory at Princeton on Thursday with goals from Angelina Thoreson and Wasila Diwura-Soale and a five-save shutout from goalkeeper Mollee Swift. LSU is not outscoring opponents, 20-6, heading into its final leg of a two-game tour of New Jersey.

Ida Hermannsdottir, Mollie Baker, Alesia Garcia, and Sage Glover all have three goals for the Tigers, while Swift has played all but 14 minutes in net this season with a 0.86 goals-against average, an .808 save percentage, and the one shutout at Princeton.

This marks the first meeting against LSU, an NCAA Tournament participant in 2021.

IV

HOME SWEET HOME: Rutgers women's soccer is 209-68-29 all-time at Yurcak Field. The Scarlet Knights matched the 2015 program record last season with 13 home wins, including two in the Big Ten Tournament and four in the NCAA Tournament on the way to the NCAA Women's College Cup. The RU program has had a winning record at home in each season since 1998.

Before each and every home contest, a raucous Rutgers tailgate takes place in the parking lot three hours before kickoff. Then 90 minutes before kickoff, fans are encouraged to welcome the Scarlet Knights to Yurcak Field at the Scarlet Walk located outside the ticket booth.

How did we get out to such a great start?

This. Right. Here. 👇#WeNeverStop /// #RutgersVsEverybody pic.twitter.com/LmYNONf9d4

— RUTGERS WOMEN'S SOCCER (@RUWSoccer) September 4, 2022

V

ROAD WARRIORS: The two victories at the Lobo Invitational over New Mexico and UNLV, and the win at Providence marked the first time in program history that Rutgers played three matches away from home to start a season and won them all. The  Aug. 25 road date at Providence was the first time RU played three matches away from home to start a season since 2001.

"To reach our goals, we have to win at home and we have to win on the road," said head coach Mike O'Neill. "We want to challenge our comfort zone early, and we like the added benefit of bonding as a team and building team chemistry with some early time on the road together."

VI

RUTGERS RANKED: Rutgers is one of two teams in the country to begin 7-0-0 joining No. 5 Virginia, and one of just five teams remaining with a perfect record. RU has been ranked No. 6 in the latest United Soccer Coaches National Poll, up three spots this week. The Scarlet Knights began at No. 6 in the preseason poll, marking 11 of the last 13 seasons Rutgers received votes in the national preseason vote, before rising to No. 3 in Week 1 after a 2-0-0 start - matching the highest rank in program history.

• Through matches on Sept. 9, Rutgers is among the nation's leaders in goals (4th, 24), assists (2nd, 23), and points (4th, 71). The 3.4 goals per match comes in at fifth in the nation.
• Allison Lowrey and Sam Kroeger each own two game-winning goals to rank 15th in the NCAA. Lowrey also ranks 15th with 2.0 points per match.
• Sara Brocious and Riley Tiernan each have four assists, ranking 14th in the NCAA.
• The Big Ten coaches voted Rutgers to repeat as conference champions, coming in a first-place tie with Penn State in the annual preseason poll. The poll marks the first time in Rutgers Athletics history a Scarlet Knight team has been picked No. 1, and it also marks the first time in conference history the women's soccer preseason poll resulted in a tie for the top spot.

VII

FAMILY STYLE: The Scarlet Knights' early offense has been powered by a selfless style of passing and an unpredictable source of origin through five matches. Eighteen of their 24 goals have been assisted, and the total assists (23) are keeping up with the totals goals (24) thanks to one-time passing crediting double assists.

Fourteen different Scarlet Knights have registered a point thus far in 2022, including 11 different goal scorers. Nine goals spanning wins over Buffalo and Temple were all scored by different players, including all seven against Temple on Sept. 1.

With Rutgers ranked in the nation's Top 10 in scoring metrics, the highest individual rank is Allison Lowrey's five goals apiece at No. 13 in the country.

VIII

THE CLEANEST SHEET: With three shutouts in the first seven matches, graduate student goalkeeper Meagan McClelland opens the 2022 season as the NCAA Division I career leader in shutouts with 38.

The Kearny keeper recorded 13 shutouts and 83 saves on the year in 2021, including five clean sheets against league opponents in the run to the conference title. She maintained a 0.67 GAA in net, helping RU extend its streak to eight straight seasons registering a GAA of 0.77 or less.

IX

B1G TIME: Sam Kroeger is the reigning Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week and Allie Post is the Big Ten Freshman of the Week for their performances during the period ending Sept. 4.

Kroeger, also named to the College Soccer News National Team of the Week, netted three goals during the 2-0 week for the Scarlet Knights, including game-winners in each victory as Rutgers became one of just three teams in the nation to begin the season 6-0-0. The 5-foot-2 forward scored the opener and game-winner in the box off a corner kick in the 10th minute on Thursday to help RU set the tone in a dominating, 7-0 victory over Temple. The West Milford, N.J. native then notched her first collegiate brace, and did so within three minutes in the 3-0 victory over Princeton on Sunday. Kroeger scored 1:45 and 2:56 into the contest for the lightning fast 2-0 lead. Kroeger is second on the team with her 10 points on four goals and two assists in 2022.

Post recorded her first collegiate goal and first career multi-point match in the 7-0 victory over Temple on Thursday. Her assist helped RU take a 2-0 lead in the 43rd minute when a low shot was deflected into goal by Emily Mason, marking the second assist of the year for Post. She then netted her first collegiate goal in the 70th minute to put Rutgers up 5-0. Post has played in six of seven contests during Rutgers' perfect 7-0-0 start to the season, contributing four points on offense.

X

GUESS WHO'S BACK?: Rutgers returns nine starters (15 or more starts) and 17 letterwinners from the 2021 College Cup squad.

Returning "On the Banks" this fall are Big Ten Freshman of the Year and All-Region First Team performer Riley Tiernan (an NCAA Division I Preseason Player to Watch) and All-Region goalkeeper Meagan McClelland. Junior midfielder Becci Fluchel (All-Big Ten Second Team) also returns with All-Conference honors from last fall.

Graduate student back Adriana Kuryla celebrated her birthday in the season-opening win at New Mexico by playing all 90 minutes in the shut out after playing in just two matches last season due to injuries.

XI 

NEW KIDS "ON THE BANKS": Coach Mike O'Neill signed five freshmen to the 2022 roster (Hannah Blodget, Olivia Bodmer, Mallory McGuire, Allie Post, and Naila Schoefberger) and welcomed five transfers to the mix (Niamh Cashin - Rider, Hailey Gutowski - Temple, Jessica Schildkraut - Columbia, Emily Smith - American, and Naya Vialva - La Salle).

Allie Post and Mallory McGuire scored their first collegiate goals against Temple on Sept. 1, while Hannah Blodget picked up her first point with an assist in the victory. Hailey Gutowski leads the newcomers in scoring with five points on two goals and an assist, while Post has totaled four points on a goal and two helpers.


Stay up to date on the latest news and schedule updates by following Rutgers women's soccer on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Download the Scarlet Knights App for Apple or Android today.
-RU-