PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Sam Kroeger needed just 1:45 into the match to score the game winner and 2:56 to record her first collegiate brace, setting the tone for a convincing 3-0 win for No. 9 Rutgers women's soccer (6-0-0) over Princeton (3-1-0) on Sunday at Yurcak Field.
The team's second consecutive shutout brings Rutgers' score against opponents this week to 10-0. The win over the Tigers marked a bit of revenge after the Scarlet Knights' perfect 5-0 start in 2021 was disrupted by a home loss to Princeton by a 4-3 score. Kroeger kickstarted the offense as
Meagan McClelland recorded her 38th career clean sheet with a season-high five saves to hold her position as the NCAA active leader in shutouts.
"We always talk about the first five minutes and how it's one of the most important parts of a game, so we wanted to get a few goals to get ahead," Kroeger said. "
Kylie Daigle played a perfect ball to me and I took my chance. Then
Becci Fluchel had great awareness on the free kick, I saw the goalkeeper come out, and that left the backdoor open."
Daigle's pass found Kroeger just inside the corner of the Princeton 18-yard box, with the one-time shot beating the keeper to the right and finding the side netting. About a minute later, Fluchel caught the Tigers off guard with a quick free kick toward Kroeger, who settled with her thigh then shot a rocket from the top of the box into the net for the lightning quick 2-0 lead.
Rutgers' defense, led by
Emily Mason,
Kassidy Banks,
Allison Lynch, and
Adriana Kuryla, held Princeton to five shots on goal from their 12 total shot attempts. McClelland was there to make all five stops, including a leaping tip over the cross bar in the 69th minute to preserve the shutout.
After Kroeger went ahead for the team lead in goals,
Allison Lowrey tied her up with her fourth of the season in the 83rd minute when
Sara Brocious played a long ball from the midfield into space. Lowrey finished the breakaway chance with a low shot past the keeper for the 3-0 eventual final score.
Rutgers outshot Princeton, 16-12, while putting nine of its 16 changes on target. Both sides attempted three corner kicks, and Rutgers was flagged for the only offsides call of the day.
KNIGHT NOTES
- The 6-0-0 start matches Rutgers' best perfect start to a season from 2017 and 1996. The 2017 team took a draw its next time out, and the 1996 team lost. The program has never had a 7-0-0 start to a season since it began play in 1984.
- Rutgers has scored 12 consecutive goals without conceding since the 2-1 comeback win against Buffalo on Aug. 28.
- Sam Kroeger scored her first collegiate two-goal match.
- The Rutgers defense has held all six opponents to five shots on goal or less.
- Career goal marks: Kroeger (10), Lowrey (12)
- Career assist marks: Daigle (7), Fluchel (7)
- Rutgers improves to 18-9-4 against Princeton in the 31st playing of the intrastate rivalry. It marked the first win over the Tigers since 2015.
UP NEXT: The Scarlet Knights continue the five-match homestand on Thurs., Sept. 8 at 7 p.m. against La Salle at Yurcak Field.
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