Starting XI: Women's Soccer at Indiana

Sep 16 | Women's Soccer

Watch on B1G+Live Stats 2023 Record Book

The 11 things to know before the Scarlet Knights visit the Hoosiers on Sun., Sept. 17 at 1 p.m.

I

THE DETAILS

Sun., Sept. 17
1 p.m. at Bill Armstrong Stadium (Bloomington, Ind.)
Rutgers (4-2-2)
vs. Indiana (6-0-2)
Watch on B1G+ | Live Stats

II

PREVIOUSLY ON...

Rutgers 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. 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.

Lowrey scored career goal No. 21 – her team-leading sixth of the season.

III

SCOUTING THE HOOSIERS

Indiana is unbeaten after non-conference play with three consecutive shutout wins heading into conference play. The Hoosiers have scored 19 goals through eight matches with a .460 shots on goal percentage. In the 2022 season last fall, Indiana totaled 11 goals overall. In the B1G, IU ranks fourth in goals with (19) behind Nebraska, Northwestern and Michigan State. The Hoosiers are third in assists (22) behind Nebraska and Northwestern.

Graduate forward Paige Webber ranks second in goals (9) in the conference, third in game-winning goals (3), fourth in shots on goal (16) and points (19). Junior Jamie Gerstenberg handles goalkeeping duties with five shutouts, a 0.40 goals-against average, and an .813 save percentage.

Rutgers is 7-1-1 all-time against Indiana, including a 1-1-1 mark in Bloomington. The last time the Scarlet Knights visited Indiana, they scored a 2-0 victory in 2021 to clinch the outright Big Ten Championship, the first of any kind in Rutgers history since joining the conference in 2014.

IV

BODMER'S BRICK WALL

Following the graduation and professional signing of Meagan McClelland, who left Rutgers with the NCAA's second-leading minutes played of all-time, redshirt freshman Olivia Bodmer became just the fifth starting goalkeeping since the beginning of the 2014 season with her two-save, shutout win on Opening Night, Aug. 17. McClelland had started 101 of the last 102 matches from 2018-22, yielding one start to Brianna Scarola's Senior Day in 2018. United States Women's National Team goalkeeper Casey Murphy started 67 matches from 2014-17, giving way to Alana Jiminez's 23 starts in 2016 when Murphy redshirted for international service with the United States.

Under the direction of Associate Head Coach and Goalkeepers Coach Lubos Ancin, Rutgers goalkeepers have combined for a 0.60 goals-against average since 2014, including Casey Murphy's mark of the 0.27 in 2017 that led the NCAA.

Bodmer starts her collegiate career with four solo shutouts, a 0.52 goals-against average, and a .852 save percentage in her first eight matches. She is the reigning Big Ten Freshman of the Week after posting back-to-back shutouts over Providence (facing her older sister, Emma, in goal) and UMass. Bodmer ranks 25th in the country with her four solo shutouts.

Consecutive shutouts to end non-conference earns Olivia Bodmer her first @B1GSoccer weekly award🏆

📰 https://t.co/w5FbPle5rK #WeNeverStop🧹#ForeverRutgers pic.twitter.com/IF2jwkZILn
— RUTGERS WOMEN'S SOCCER (@RUWSoccer) September 12, 2023

V

HATS OFF

Senior forward Allison Lowrey netted Rutgers' first hat trick since 2019 in the 7-0 victory over FDU on Aug. 31. The trio of goals helped the Bridgewater, New Jersey native to a team-high six on the season, which ranks fourth in the Big Ten. Lowrey now has 21 career goals with the Scarlet Knights.

VI

CHASING HISTORY

Riley Tiernan (6) and Sara Brocious (7) led in assists last season and are marching up the record book in career helpers at RU. Tiernan is tied for eighth all-time with 19 and needs four more to enter the Top 5. Brocious has 17 career assists, breaking into the Top 10 in a tie with RU greats Carli Lloyd and Taylor Aylmer. The all-time assist record at Rutgers is 29 set by Gina DeMaio from 2006-10.

VII

THE ARMBANDS

Rutgers women's soccer head coach Mike O'Neill has named Becci Fluchel, Allison Lynch, and Emma Misal as captains of the 2023 Scarlet Knights squad.

The trio has been at the center of Rutgers' sustained success over the past four years, which included consecutive trips to the NCAA Tournament, the undefeated 2021 Big Ten Championship, and the run to the 2021 NCAA College Cup. Fluchel and Misal enter their senior seasons, while Lynch returns for her fifth year "On the Banks." This high-performing group has been part of a backline that allowed just 12 goals in 18 regular-season games in 2022, including only three during the historic 9-0 start to the year.

Lynch returns for her second captainship in her fifth year with nearly 7,000 minutes of action on defense for the Scarlet Knights. She led the team with 88.2 minutes per game in 2022. Not shy to move forward, Lynch scored an important goal in a 2-2 draw with Minnesota last fall and carries nine career points on three goals and three assists into her final season. The Bridgewater, New Jersey native played all 90 minutes in 17 of her 20 games last season, including the final 15 of the campaign.

Misal earns her first captain's armband after being named Third Team All-Big Ten as a back in 2022. The defender from Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania has contributed to one of the nation's top defenses over the past three years, chipping in on five Rutgers shutouts last fall. Misal worked back from a training camp injury to earn a starting job during the season's final 12 matches, which included 85-plus minute efforts in the last four games.

VIII

MASON MARKS

Junior back Emily Mason has been named to the MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List for National Player of the Year and a 2023 Player to Watch by United Soccer Coaches. The Flemington, New Jersey native has also been listed on Top Drawer Soccer's Big Ten Conference preview as one of five Players to Watch, along with an honor on Top Drawer Soccer's Preseason Best XI Third Team.

A Third-Team All-American, All-Big Ten First Team, and All-North Region First Team selection as a sophomore in 2022, Mason turned in 14 matches with the full 90 minutes played, contributing to eight shutouts on the Scarlet Knight defense. The versatile, 5-foot-10 defender has also chipped in on the attack, scoring her first collegiate goal in a 7-0 win against Temple on Sept. 1 and then scoring her first collegiate brace in a 3-0 win at Purdue on Oct. 2. She also added an important assist in the 1-1 draw at then-No. 8 Northwestern on Sept. 29. Mason missed the first two contests of the season while serving with the United States Youth National Team at the U20 World Cup in Costa Rica. She previously won gold with the USYNT at the Concacaf Women's Championship and the Sud Ladies Cup in 2021.

IX

NEW KIDS "ON THE BANKS"

Rutgers women's soccer head coach Mike O'Neill welcomes 11 freshmen to the program for the 2023 season, including nine hailing from New Jersey. The class includes Brianna Azevedo, Ashley Baran, Ava Brass, Audrey Cain, Elliot Forney, Gabriela Gil, Alyssa Martinez, Reilly McGlinn, Shannon Reiser, Olivia Russomanno, and Tehya Scheuten.

This standout group includes a New Jersey Player of the Year, All-Americans, multiple national and state champions at the high school and club levels, and numerous All-State honorees.

Baran scored her first collegiate goal against FDU on Aug. 28, while Russomanno picked up her first point with an assist in that 7-0 victory. The rookie teammates have played in all six games to start their Rutgers careers.

X

LIVING 'VICARI'OUSLY

Rutgers women's soccer welcomes impact transfer Gia Vicari to the 2023 roster. The Georgetown transfer and dynamic forward will be a graduate student at Rutgers and will play her final year of eligibility "On the Banks" after leading the nationally ranked and three-time Big East champion Hoyas in scoring over the past three seasons.

Vicari is coming off a 2022 season that earned Second Team All-East Region honors from United Soccer Coaches, along with All-Big East First Team honors after leading Georgetown with six goals and four assists during a 15-2-5 season. The Hoyas won the 2022 Big East Championship and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament, ending the season ranked No. 19.

Vicari picked up her first Rutgers goal in the 7-0 victory over FDU on Aug. 28.

XI

RETURNING EXPERIENCE

Ten of 11 primary starters return. Eleven point scorers are back representing 116 of last season's 125, and on defense, the 'No Service, No Shots, No Goals' mantra still rings true for a defense that posted nine shutouts in 2022. The Scarlet Knights return a total of 18 players from the 2022 roster that went 13-5-2 and qualified for an 11th consecutive NCAA Tournament, including 16 with playing time on the books. Twelve returners started at least one match last season, with 10 starting 12 or more matches.

All but three goals from the 42 netted in '22, and all but three assists, are accounted for in the returning class this fall. The Scarlet Knights also bring some hardware forward from the 2022 season, with returning All-America Third Team selection Emily Mason back on defense. Mason was one of four United Soccer Coaches All-Region picks, joining Riley Tiernan (Second Team), Sara Brocious (Third Team), and Sam Kroeger (Third Team). Those four, along with Allison Lowrey and Emma Misal, all earned All-Big Ten awards last fall, with Mason earning First Team honors.

Stay up to date on the latest news and schedule updates by following Rutgers women's soccer on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. Download the Scarlet Knights App for Apple or Android today.
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