PISCATAWAY, N.J. – No. 10 Rutgers field hockey has a big weekend ahead. The Scarlet Knights are 6-0 first the first time since 2008 and have the opportunity to start a season 7-0 for the first time in program history. This weekend's schedule features the first Big Ten Conference game of the season, Friday at No. 12 Penn State (5 p.m.). Then on Sunday (1 p.m.), Rutgers will host La Salle for the team's first home game of the season.

About Rutgers

The Scarlet Knights have played six straight road games and won them all. RU last weekend first travelled to Villanova, where the offense broke out for the team's most goals in a game since 2017 in a 6-2 win. RU received three goals from Puck Winter for RU's second hat trick since 2017, and first since 2021 (Bridy Molyneaux vs. Michigan State). Marique Dieudonne added two goals for her first multi-goal game of her career, while Julianne Kopec also tallied her first goal at Rutgers.

On Sunday, RU pushed into double overtime at No. 15 Princeton, where they came away with a 2-1 win. Winter had the game-winning goal in the 74^th minute of action, and RU outshot the Tigers 15-2 in the game.

Puck Winter, who had four goals and a defensive save on the week, was named the Big Ten Co-Defensive Player of the Week. She also earned an Honorable Mention nod for the NFHCA's national Defensive Player of the Week.

In goal, Sophia Howard is fifth nationally in goals-against-average (0.76) and eighth nationally in save percentage (.800). RU is outscoring its opponents 16-5 on the year.

Road Warriors

Rutgers is looking for its seventh road win of the season. That would be just the third time in program history for RU having at least seven road wins in a season (2021: 7 road wins, 1993: 8 road wins). RU has never been undefeated in its first seven road games.

Big Ten Play

The Scarlet Knights, at 6-0, are 10^th in the national rankings. The Big Ten Conference has seven of its nine teams ranked this week: No. 1 Iowa, No. 3 Northwestern, No. 5 Maryland, No. 8 Michigan, No. 10 Rutgers, No. 12 Penn State and No. 17 Ohio State. After Penn State, RU faces No. 5 Maryland and No. 8 Michigan in its next two conference games, both coming at home.

Rutgers is 29-44 (.397) in nine seasons of Big Ten Conference regular season play (not including the team's 3-8 conference tournament record). Since starting 7-26 in the first four years of acclimating to the league, RU is 22-18 over the past five seasons and 14-10 over the past three seasons in conference regular season play. Including the conference tournament, RU is 17-12 against Big Ten teams in the past three seasons.

About Penn State

Penn State leads the all-time series with Rutgers 19-8-3. The Nittany Lions' win last season snapped a four-game Scarlet Knights' winning streak. Rutgers claimed four straight wins in the 2021 calendar year over the Nittany Lions. During the spring season, the Scarlet Knights swept a weekend series with the then-No. 9 ranked PSU with 3-0 and 1-0 victories. In the fall of 2021, RU earned a 1-0 win over No. 4 Penn State in the team's last trip to University Park. RU then earned a 2-1 win over then No. 7 ranked Penn State in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals to advance to the title game (which RU later won). Penn State has been ranked in the top-10 in the last five meetings with RU, and the Scarlet Knights have gone 4-1 in those contests.

This season, Penn State has started 4-2, with losses at Virginia and Cal, starting 1-2, but on a three-game winning streak. The Nittany Lions are averaging 3.33 goals per game, ninth nationally. Their offense is keyed by Sophia Gladieux (team-high nine goals and 19 points) and Mackenzie Allessie (four goals, two assists). Brie Barraco is in her fifth season as Penn State's starting goalkeeper, and the reigning First Team All-American has a 1.56 goals-against-average and .763 save percentage this season.

With a Win at Penn State

• Rutgers would improve to 7-0, the best start to a season in program history.
• Rutgers would win its first game of Big Ten play for the fourth straight season.
• Rutgers would win its first three meetings against ranked teams for the second time in the past three seasons.
• Rutgers would have its third ranked win of the season, eighth ranked win over the past two seasons, the 21^st ranked win over the past three seasons and the 25^th ranked win since the spring 2021 season along with the 41st ranked win for RU since Meredith Civico took over as the head coach.
• Rutgers would been 5-1 in its last six meetings with Penn State, with a ranked win for each victory.
• Rutgers would be 66-34 in its past 100 games dating back to the start of the 2018 season.

About La Salle

Rutgers is 16-2-1 all-time against La Salle. RU has won four straight meetings dating back to 1997, outscoring La Salle by a combined 11-0 in those four games. In 19 all-time games, RU has outscored La Salle 46-4. RU has played La Salle just twice under head coach Meredith Civico. Last year, the two teams met for the first time since 2013, with a 2-0 RU win in that 2022 contest. In the third game of last season, Rutgers was led by goals from Lucy Bannatyne and Indy van Ek, outshooting the Explorers 16-5, with Sophia Howard securing the shutout.

This season, La Salle is 4-2. The team beat Drexel, Longwood, Rider and Villanova, with losses to Temple and Fairfield. Clara Larripa and Sol Espona share the team lead with four goals. In goal, Emily Streib has started four of the six games, with a 1.87 goals-against-average and .680 save percentage.

With Two Wins

• Rutgers would match last season's win total of eight wins.

Promotions

Sunday's game is "Back to School" themed. There will be a giveaway of Rutgers Field Hockey water bottles.