Rutgers University
Villanova
No. 12 Field Hockey Travels to Villanova, No. 15 Princeton this Weekend
Sep 06 | Field Hockey
Games Friday at Villanova (6 pm), Sunday at Princeton (12 pm)
PISCATAWAY, N.J. – No. 12 Rutgers field hockey resumes its season-opening road stretch this week, travelling locally to face Villanova and Princeton. Rutgers moved up four spots to No. 12 in the national poll this week following a 4-0 start to the season.
After starting the year with a 3-0 stretch in California (defeating UC Davis, Stanford and Cal), the Scarlet Knights had just one game last weekend, and claimed a 2-1 win at No. 15 UConn, a game that extended past two overtimes and into a penalty shootout.
Guillermina Causarano scored the lone goal in gameplay for RU in the contest. She has a team-leading three goals through four games, and has tied her previous career-high of three goals in a season (set last year).
Behind Sophia Howard's play in the cage, RU is first nationally in save percentage (.895) and second in goals-against-average. The team is also fourth in shutouts per game. Howard is third in the Big Ten in saves per game (4.25), while Vicky Jure is second in the conference in assists per game (0.75).
| Friday Matchup: Villanova |
Live Stream | Live Stats
Villanova stands at 2-1 on the season, with wins over Ball State (4-3) and Longwood (7-0), while taking an 8-0 loss at Delaware. Meghan Mitchell leads the team with three goals and three assists for nine points (and is ninth nationally in points per game), while Amanda Middleman also has three goals.
The Wildcats hold a 19-15-1 lead in the all-time series, which dates back to 1977 and was contested every year from 1982 to 2015. The teams have not met since that last meeting in 2015. RU has won the last two games in the series, a 5-2 win in 2015 and a 3-2, shootout win in 2013. That 2015 game saw two goals from Alyssa Bull and Nicole Imbriaco.
| With a Win over Villanova |
- Rutgers would improve to 5-0 for the first time since the 2018 team started 5-0.
- Rutgers would have three straight wins over Villanova.
| Sunday Matchup: Princeton |
Live Stream | Live Stats
Princeton took a pair of losses on their opening weekend, falling to then-No. 9 Louisville and No. 1 North Carolina, falling from No. 10 to No. 15 in this week's poll. In goal, Robyn Thompson made 14 saves on the weekend, including a career-high 10 against UNC.
This will be the 27th meeting all-time against Princeton, with the Tigers holding a 19-6-1 lead. The Tigers claimed a 4-1 win last season, which snapped a three-game winning streak in the series for RU. That three-game winning streak against Princeton for RU, which started in 2018 for the first win over Princeton since 1995, was a trio of ranked wins. The Tigers were ranked No. 6 in both 2018 and 2019 when RU defeated them in a pair of one-goal wins and were ranked No. 17 during a 3-1 win for Rutgers. Rutgers has won the last two road games at Princeton (2021 and 2019).
| With a Win over Princeton |
- With two wins on the weekend, Rutgers would improve to 6-0, which would be the first time start 6-0 under head coach Meredith Civico and first time since 2008
- Would be the second ranked win of the season, the seventh ranked win over the past two seasons, the 20th ranked win over the past three seasons and the 24th ranked win since the spring 2021 season along with the 40th ranked win for RU since Meredith Civico took over as the head coach.
- Would represent four wins in the last five matchups against Princeton after RU won just three times in the first 22 matchups against the Tigers.
| Up Next |
Rutgers has another two games next weekend. RU first travels to play at currently ranked No. 11 Penn State on Friday, the team's first Big Ten Conference game of the year and the seventh straight game away from home to begin 2023. Then on Sunday, Sept. 17, Rutgers has its first home game of the season as RU hosts La Salle.
