PISCATAWAY, N.J. – No. 11 Rutgers field hockey is set to play in a rare midweek game when they host the Hawks on Wednesday at 3 pm at Bauer Complex. The Scarlet Knights have a front-loaded home schedule this year as this is their third home game in their first four games. The game at the Bauer Complex will be streamed on B1G+ with Dom Savino on the call.
The game against St. Joe's is the first ranked matchup of the season. Eight future opponents are also in the rankings, with UConn joining the national poll this week following the Sunday game against the Scarlet Knights.
About Rutgers
Rutgers has opened the year at 2-1 after a split last weekend against Monmouth and UConn. On the year, Rutgers has outscored opponents 9-4 and outshot them 59-29. RU's nine goals have come from six goal scorers, with
Guillermina Causarano,
Kara Heck and
Vicky Jure tallying twice.
Puck Winter shared the nation's lead last season in defensive saves with 12. This season, after two more against UConn, she is up to 3 on the year, second nationally. Winter now has 19 defensive saves in her career. That ties her with Tiffany Klebez, who had 19 from 2001-04 for second all-time in program history. Brandi Bailey is in first place all-time at 24, five ahead of Winter.
Rutgers' Last Time Out
Rutgers split a home and away weekend series winning on the road at Monmouth on Friday before falling to UConn at home on Sunday.
Paulina Niklaus scored the game winner in overtime on Friday to put the Scarlet Knights over the Hawks 3-2.
Kara Heck and
Vicky Jure each added scores in the first half while Rutgers out-shot Monmouth 20-9 in the contest.
Vicky Jure scored the lone goal for Rutgers on Sunday in a defensive battle with the Huskies.
Sophia Howard had five saves and 2023 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year was back at it again adding two defensive saves giving her three on the young season.
About Saint Joseph's
Rutgers and Saint Joe's will both enter the meeting with a record of 2-1 and mutual one-goal losses to UConn. The Hawks opened their season with a 5-4 overtime loss to UConn before beating New Hampshire. Saint Joe's beat Big Ten foe No. 16 Penn State their last time out 4-1, rewarding Julia Duffhuis with Atlantic 10 Defensive Player of the Week. SJU is fourth nationally, averaging 4.0 goals per game. Santi's 3.67 points per game leads the nation, and she is sixth in goals per game (1.33).
Rutgers has the all-time series advantage 19-11. The Hawks have won the past three meetings, with RU looking for its first win since 2018. Rutgers' 19 victories against Saint Joseph's are the program's most against any one team. This will be the first ranked match-up for the Scarlet Knights this year, their first of eight.
With a Win
- Rutgers would improve to at least 3-1 through four games for the 7th time in the past 10 seasons
- First ranked win of the season
- 38th ranked win since the start of 2018
- Rutgers would earn its first win over St. Joe's since 2018.
- Rutgers would earn its 20th victory over St. Joe's, improving to 20-11 and marking the most victories over any one team for the program.
Up Next
Rutgers returns to action on Sunday, with another home game. The Scarlet Knights host Miami (Ohio) on Sunday at noon. For Rutgers, four of the first five games, through the game against the Redhawks, are at home. Six of the team's first eight games are at home.
