PISCATAWAY, N.J. – No. 6 Rutgers field hockey keeps taking down ranked teams. The Scarlet Knights improved to 11-0 on the season and 3-0 in Big Ten play with a 2-1 overtime win over No. 15 Michigan on Friday afternoon.
Guillermina Causarano scored the game-winning goal in overtime, with
Marique Dieudonne scoring in regulation.
Sophia Howard had three saves in goal and
Puck Winter had her career-best six defensive save of the season. Michigan held a 12-9 advantage in shots and 9-4 in corners, but RU's strong team effort pushed them in front.
Rutgers scored on the team's first corner of the game. The Scarlet Knights had a couple of attempts at the goal, and Marique Dieudone jammed home her own rebound to give the home team a 1-0 lead just seven minutes into the game. The team captain recorded her third goal of the season and first since tallying a two-goal game against Villanova on Sept. 8.
Despite a 7-3 advantage in shots in the opening half, RU held the Wolverines off the board with a series of great defensive plays, including a defensive save by
Puck Winter, who remains near the top of the nation in the stat category. RU led 1-0 at halftime.
Michigan tied the game in the third quarter, off a corner, sending a shot to the backpost for a redirection.
Rutgers looked to have taken a second half lead on a shot from
Paulina Niklaus, but an official review overturned the goal and kept it level at 1-1. The game remained tied into overtime, as RU went past regulation for the fifth time in the past eight contests. This extra session would not last long, as just three minute in,
Paulina Niklaus sent a beautiful ball in front, and
Guillermina Causarano stepped in to redirect the ball home and set off the celebration.
Rutgers remains home this weekend for another contest on Sunday. RU will host in-state foe Monmouth on Sunday at 1 p.m.
Postgame Notes
- Rutgers earned its sixth ranked win of the season, 11th ranked win over the past two seasons, the 24th ranked win over the past three seasons and the 28th ranked win since the spring 2021 season along with the 44th ranked win for RU since Meredith Civico took over as the head coach.
- Rutgers is 6-0 against ranked teams this year and 24-13 against ranked teams in the last three years.
- Rutgers starts Big Ten play 3-0 start for the first time since joining the conference.
- Rutgers is 15-8 against Big Ten teams over past three seasons with 10 ranked wins.
- Rutgers reaches 11 wins in a season for just the third time since 1998 (14: 2008, 19: 2021)
- Rutgers earns its third ever win over Michigan and is 2-1 in the last three meetings. The last win came in the 2021 Big Ten Tournament Championship game.
- Guillermina Causarano now leads the team with nine goals and 24 points on the season.
- Winter's six defensive saves matched what the nation's leader in the category had entering the game.
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Gallery: (10-6-2023) Field Hockey Defeats No. 15 Michigan
