PISCATAWAY, N.J. – "Just find a way."
 
That was the message that Rutgers field hockey head coach Meredith Civico preached to her team, as they battled with the number seven ranked team in the nation on Friday afternoon. The Scarlet Knights went toe-to-toe with No. 7 Iowa past regulation, playing eighty minutes of field hockey, and ultimately persevering in a penalty shootout. The Scarlet Knights came away with a crucial 3-2 victory over the Hawkeyes in front of a national TV audience on Big Ten Network.
 
The Scarlet Knights were led offensively by Paulina Niklaus, as the team captain had the first multi-goal game of her collegiate career with two scores for RU. Another team captain, Sophia Howard had six saves between the pipes, a season-high total for her. Captain Guillermina Causarano assisted on both of Niklaus' goals, while Vicky Jure and Lucy Bannatyne had one helper apiece. Overall, Rutgers' attack blistered the Iowa back line, putting up 18 shots on the day and recording nine penalty corners. With the win, Rutgers improves to 4-4 overall and 1-1 in Big Ten play.
 
"I was really proud with how the team fought," Civico said. "Our players did an incredible job of doing what was asked of them. They stayed focused and they rallied. No matter the situation, they did whatever was needed to get this done."
 
The Scarlet Knights came out of the gates putting on heavy pressure on the Iowa defense. RU earned five corners in the first eight minutes of the game and had a 7-1 advantage in shots in the opening frame. RU couldn't break through in the opening 15 minutes as Iowa continued its streak of holding foes scoreless in the first quarter this season.
 
RU did break through early in the second quarter. On the team's six corner in the first 17 minutes of the game, Paulina Niklaus gave the Scarlet Knights the initial lead. On a shot from the top, her shot deflected in off a defender's stick for the 1-0 lead.
 
Iowa answered with just over two minutes left in the first half. Off a penalty corner, the nation's leading scorer last season Dionne van Aalsum evened the score with a quality shot from the top of the circle. At halftime, the score was level at 1-1.
 
In the third quarter, it was Niklaus again putting RU in front. She again sent home a shot following a penalty corner, putting RU ahead 2-1. In the fourth quarter, Iowa equalized. Annika Herbine collected the ball in the circle, carried around the defense, and finished to equalize at the 12:41 mark.
 
That would be the last goal to happen in the field of play. The tightly contested game was deadlocked at the end of regulation, and again after the first and then second overtime sessions.
 
In the shootout, Iowa scored on its first turn. However, RU rallied, backstopped by Howard in goal to not allow another shootout attempt into the net. Olivia Fraticelli, Paulina Niklaus and Kara Heck scored in the shootout, ensuring a 3-1 margin there for a 3-2 victory overall for RU.
 
The Victory over No. 7 Iowa Represents:

• First ranked win of the season and 38^th ranked win since 2018
• 14^th ranked win over the past five seasons
• First win over Iowa since a 1-0 win over the No. 7 Hawkeyes on Oct. 21, 2018
• Improved to 4-11-1 in the series and snapped a five-game Hawkeyes winning streak
• First top-10 win since defeating No. 9 Ohio State (Oct. 13, 2023)
• Highest ranked opponent defeated since No. 3 Northwestern (Oct. 8, 2022)
• 14th top-10 win since April of 2021

Postgame Notes

• Rutgers made a change to its starting lineup for the first time this season as Olivia Beattie did not play in the game. Indy van Ek made her fifth career start in her 46^th collegiate game.
• It was a career-high two goals for Paulina Niklaus.
• Sophia Howard had a season-high six saves.
• Olivia Fraticelli saw her first game action in the shootout, and immediately tallied a key goal for RU.