PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Rutgers women's soccer (7-5-3, 3-3-1) defeated Michigan (7-4-3, 3-3-1) by a 2-0 score at Yurcak Field on Thursday evening. The Scarlet Knights scored twice in the second half within one minute of each other and held the Wolverines to three shots on goal throughout the victory.
 
SCORING SUMMARY

• Rutgers broke through in the 69th minute when Becci Fluchel had the ball in space near the top of the Michigan box. Her pass found an open Kylie Daigle on the left side, with a smart first touch leading into space for a rocket into the top-right shelf for the 1-0 lead. It was Daigle's second goal of the season and second in as many matches.
• Fifty-three seconds later, Riley Tiernan gained possession deep in the Wolverine's 18-yard box and was tripped up. She stepped up to take her own penalty and buried it to put RU ahead 2-0 with her third goal of the season.

DAIGLE DELIVERS‼️

Fluchel feeds Kylie for the 1-0 lead in the 70th minute on @bigtennetwork. pic.twitter.com/h0HVDA2euY

— RUTGERS WOMEN'S SOCCER (@RUWSoccer) October 12, 2023

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED

• Michigan did not manage a single shot on goal in the opening 45 minutes, and took their first attempt on target in the 47th.
• Ashley Baran, starting in her second consecutive match, was again active at forward. She was nearly the first to break the deadlock with a saved shot from close range in the 57th minute.
• The Rutgers defense limited Michigan's dangerous chances, and all three shots on goal were handled by Rutgers goalkeeper Olivia Bodmer, who was also active picking off multiple crosses and long balls to keep the clean sheet intact.

QUOTABLE
"I've been waiting a while to get back on the field," said junior midfielder Becci Fluchel. "It was awesome to be back with the team and get a win like this. It's exactly what we needed. Kylie had an open shot so I had to feed her and she hit a banger."
 
"It was a big win because there were only four games left," said head coach Mike O'Neill. "We've been training well and playing well, so the player knew the next game was the most important. We talked about what it was going to take, and they went beyond that. We're really proud of the effort they gave."

Riley Tiernan, one of our two goal scorers, on the victory over Michigan on @bigtennetwork. pic.twitter.com/A14UInuNii

— RUTGERS WOMEN'S SOCCER (@RUWSoccer) October 13, 2023

 
STAT SHEET

• Rutgers outshot Michigan, 16-15, overall and 6-3 in shots on goal.
• Returning to the pitch for the first time since Sept. 17 (missed five matches), Fluchel paced the Scarlet Knights with two shots on target.
• Gia Girman, Baran, Tiernan, and Daigle had the other attempts on target.
• Sam Kroeger, Allison Lynch, Olivia Russomanno, Emily Mason, Kassidy Banks, Sara Brocious, and Riley Tiernan all went the distance playing 90 minutes in the shutout victory.

KNIGHT NOTES

• Career goals: Kylie Daigle (10), Riley Tiernan (15)
• Career assists: Becci Fluchel (10)
• Freshman Olivia Russomanno made her first collegiate start.
• The Scarlet Knights now lead the Wolverines 5-4-2 in the all-time series, with Rutgers leading 5-2-2 as regular season Big Ten opponents since 2014. The series is 4-2-1 in Rutgers' favor when played in New Jersey. Michigan won the last two before tonight with a 1-0 win in the Big Ten Tournament championship game in Piscataway in 2021 and a 3-2 victory in Ann Arbor last season.

LOOK AHEAD
With just three matches remaining in the 2023 regular season, the Scarlet Knights host No. 20 Michigan State on Sun., Oct. 15 at 1 p.m. at Yurcak Field.
 
 
Follow Rutgers women's soccer on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Download the Scarlet Knights App for Apple or Android today.
- RU -