PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Rutgers women's soccer (4-2-2) finished its non-conference slate with a 1-0 victory over UMass (3-2-2) on a rain-soaked Sunday night at Yurcak Field. After a weekend of downpours, the battle was fought for possession, which was eventually won by the Scarlet Knights with one deciding chance in the Minutewomen box.
SCORING SUMMARY
- Allison Lowrey scored the game-winner, the lone goal of the contest on a penalty in the 66th minute. The penalty was set up by a flurry of Rutgers shots – first an attempt by Becci Fluchel of the post, then a blast by Allison Lynch that was stopped by a Minutewomen handball in the 18-yard box, setting up Lowrey's successful PK.
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
- Olivia Bodmer made one of the saves of the year early in the 8th minute, sprawling to the upper right corner of the net to stop a one-time shot heading for the back of the net. Bodmer posted her fourth solo shutout in her first eight matches to start her collegiate career.
- The Scarlet Knight defense was strong throughout, holding UMass to just two shots on target on Sunday.
QUOTABLE
"(In) the second half we had a mentality to attack and go after them, where maybe in the first half, they kind of bossed the game a little bit," said head coach
Mike O'Neill. "So, we talked about it at halftime, what we needed to do, and we needed to be aggressive. I think in the second half we did exactly that. So that's a step forward, but we've had a lot of games in a short period of time, so now the biggest thing is to get some rest and get ready for our first Big Ten game on Sunday."
STAT SHEET
- Rutgers led in shots, 18-5, including a 6-2 edge in shots on goal.
- UMass keeper Bella Mendoza made five saves to keep the game within just a goal.
- The Scarlet Knights spread its shots on goal around, with Gia Vicari, Lowrey, Riley Tiernan, Sam Kroeger, Kylie Daigle, and Ashley Baran all registered one apiece.
KNIGHT NOTES
- Rutgers has five shutouts in its first eight games, passing last year's mark of four shutouts during that same span.
- Allison Lowrey scored career goal No. 21 – her team-leading sixth of the season.
- Former Atlantic 10 member Rutgers is now 3-10-1 all-time against Massachusetts, but is 2-0 in matches played since the A-10 days (1994). The Scarlet Knights also defeated the Minutewomen, 1-0, at Yurcak Field in their last meeting in 2015.
LOOK AHEAD
The Scarlet Knights enter Big Ten play at Indiana on Sun., Sept. 17 at 1 p.m., streaming live on B1G+.
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