PISCATAWAY, N.J. – No. 13 Rutgers will begin a crucial stretch in the season this week, with the next four games against ranked opponents. The Scarlet Knights open Big Ten play on Friday at No. 7 Maryland (5 pm, B1G+), then host No. 18 Princeton at noon on Sunday (B1G+).
 
About Rutgers
 
Rutgers is coming off an offensive explosion in a 6-1 win over Miami. Against a team that had allowed just four goals in their first five games, RU broke through with a season-high (and most since September of 2023). Guillermina Causarano had her second career hat trick and a career-high seven points. Sophie Kuiper (four points), Kara Heck and Anna Cogdell all added goals. Heck's goal was her third through five games, second on the team. On the year, Rutgers is outscoring opponents 15-6 and has outshot opponents 82-44.
 
Causarano leads the team with five goals and 13 points. Cauarano has 21 goals in her career, which is tied for the ninth most in program history. One more goal will tie her for eighth place all-time at RU (Rachel Yaney, 22 goals from 2013-16), three more will tie her with Linde van Schaik for seventh (24 from 2015-18) and four more will tie her with Mary Beth Dwyer for sixth (25 from 1982-85).
 
After her seven-point game against Miami, she now has 57 career points, which places her 11^th all-time at RU. Two more points will move her into a tie for 8^th place all-time at RU (Nicole Wilson, Brandi Bailey and Daphne Groothuis with 59).
 
About Maryland
 
Maryland will enter the game against Rutgers with a 4-2 record. The Terps have defeated Louisville, Drexel, BC and Lock Haven, with a pair of 1-0 losses to ACC schools Virginia and Duke.
 
The Terps have a goals-against-average of 0.63, sixth best in the nation. Kylee Niswonger has a team-high three goals after a hat trick against Lock Haven. Overall, 11 different Terps have scored goals this season. Goalkeeper Alyssa Kelbasko, an all-conference pick last year as a freshman, has a .765 save percentage.
 
Hope Rose is a three-time All-American and First Team All-Big Ten selection last season, who has posted 38 career goals with 14 assists. Emma DeBerdine is a two-time All-American with 23 goals and 23 assists in 82 career games. UM also brings back Rayne Wright, a First Team All-Region defender last season. Maci Bradford has 11 goals in 28 career games.
 
Rutgers and Maryland will play for the 41^st time all-time, with Maryland holding a 34-5-1 lead in the all-time series. The teams have split the last four meetings, with Maryland's win in last season's Big Ten Tournament avenging a RU victory in the regular season.
 
About Princeton
 
Princeton enters the weekend with a 2-2 record, having split each of its weekends thus far. PU has wins over Louisville and Miami (Ohio), both 1-0 margins. Their losses came to UNC (2-0) and Penn State (3-2). They play Penn in Philadelphia on Friday afternoon prior to the RU matchup.
 
Beth Yeager, a former First Team All-American fresh off an appearance with Team USA in the Olympics, leads the Tigers with three points on the year after scoring the overtime game-winner last Friday in a 1-0 victory over mutual opponent Miami. Goalkeeper Robyn Thompson has a .773 save percentage.
 
Rutgers and Princeton will play for the 28^th time, with PU leading 19-7-1 in the all-time series. The Scarlet Knights, however, are 3-1 in the last four contests against Princeton. RU also has four ranked wins over the Tigers all-time.
 
With a Win
 
A victory over Maryland would represent:

• First ranked win of the season and 38^th ranked win since 2018
• 14^th ranked win over the past five seasons
• 3-2 in the past five meetings against Maryland
• 2-0 in last two road games against Maryland

 
A victory over Princeton would represent:
 

• 5-1 in the past six games against the Tigers
• 3-1 in the past four home games against the Tigers

 
Up Next
 
These two games mark the beginning of four straight games and seven out of nine games against ranked foes. The following week, RU hosts No. 4 Iowa on Friday, September 27, the lone game of that week. That will be followed the following Friday with a trip to No. 1 Northwestern.