DAVIS, Calif. – No. 16 Rutgers field hockey opened the season with a 2-0 win at UC Davis. Bridy Molyneaux and Guillermina Causarano had the tallies for RU.

Rutgers pushed for a goal in the first half and broke through late in the second quarter. RU earned three quarters in the opening 30 minutes and capitalized on the third one. After the initial shot was defended, the ball was pushed back to the inserter, Iris Langejans. The returning All-American sent a pass across to the back post, where Bridy Molyneaux knocked it home to give the visitors a 1-0 lead. Rutgers outshot the Aggies 6-3 in the first half.

In the second half, RU kept the pressure on, and was able to break through for another goal with 10 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. The visitors put the pressure on, and the ball found Vicky Jure to the goalkeeper's right. Jure fired a pass towards the front of the net, where there was great stickwork from captain Guillermina Causarano to redirect the ball into the back of the cage and put RU ahead 2-0.

Rutgers outshot the home team 16-5. The Scarlet Knights also had a 7-1 advantage on corners. 

Rutgers has two more games on this opening week trip to California. RU will play at Stanford (Sunday, 3 pm) and Cal (Monday, 4 pm).

 Game Notes

• Rutgers improved to 2-0 all-time against UC Davis, having also beaten them 1-0 in 2019 in a neutral site game in Iowa City.
• Rutgers' starting lineup included Sophia Howard (GK), Paulina Nicklaus, Bridy Molyneaux, Ava Cickavage, Carly Snarski, Puck Winter, Lucy Bannatyne, Elise Pettisani, Guillermina Causarano and Iris Langejans.
• Leaf's start was the first in the junior's career, while Nicklaus and Cickavage started in their Rutgers' debut.
• Senior Bridy Molyneaux scored the team's first goal of the season, the 13^th in the career of the senior from Fair Haven, N.J.
• Langejans, who led the team with eight assists last season, had her first point of the season.
• Causarano's goal was the fifth of the third-year player's career.
• Jure, who started 13 games last season in her first year 'On the Banks', had her first career point with the assist.  
• The shutout was the seventh solo shutout of RU goalkeeper Sophia Howard's career.
• Five Scarlet Knights made their RU debut: Paulina Niklaus (starter), Ava Cickavage (starter), Olivia Beattie, Olivia Fraticelli and Julianne Kopec

 

Two upperclassmen provided the scoring for #RUFH as Bridy Molyneaux and Guillermina Causarano had the tallies in a 2-0 season-opening win Friday at UC Davis

RU remains on the West Coast for games at Stanford (Sunday) and Cal (Monday)

📰: https://t.co/IWOCttp49L pic.twitter.com/P9m3E9wbO0

— Rutgers Field Hockey (@RUFieldHockey) August 26, 2023