Starting XI: Women's Soccer at No. 1 Michigan State

Sep 28 | Women's Soccer

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The 11 things to know before the Scarlet Knights visit the top-ranked Spartans on Sun., Sept. 29 at noon.

I

THE DETAILS

Sun., Sept. 29
Noon at DeMartin Stadium (East Lansing, Mich.)
Rutgers (8-1-1, 4-0-0)
at No. 1 Michigan State (8-0-3, 3-0-1)
Stream: B1G+

II

LAST TIME OUT

Sophomore forward Ashley Baran blasted the game-winner 42 seconds after halftime and Rutgers women's soccer (8-1-1, 4-0-0) held on to shut out Michigan (2-8-1, 1-3-0) by a 1-0 score on Thursday night at U-M Soccer Stadium live on Big Ten Network. The Scarlet Knights have not allowed a goal in 640 minutes of play and have produced seven consecutive shutouts. All eight RU wins have come this season via the clean sheet.

Olivia Bodmer, in her seventh solo shutout, made all four of her saves in the opening half, including a leaping tip that sent a would-be goal into the post and back into play for a Rutgers clear. Baran's banger came just 42 seconds into the second half, when she created her own space at the corner of the Michigan 18-yard box and surprised the crowd, the television announcers, and the Wolverine keeper with a screamer inside the far post into the side netting for the 1-0 lead. It was the first of the year for Baran and came on Rutgers' first shot on goal in contest.

III

NO SHOTS, NO SERVICE, NO GOALS

A longtime mantra of the Rutgers women's soccer defense has proven effective during the 8-1-1 start to the season in which the defense gave up just 0.22 goals per game (2 goals allowed in nine matches). During that span, Rutgers has held opponents to four or less shots on goal in all nine games, including three or less in seven out of nine matches. The 0.20 goals-against average is the best in the country.

Senior center backs Kassidy Banks and Emily Mason have played every minute through 10 matches, anchoring the stingy effort on the defensive end. After missing the opener, freshman Claire Hammill has started in nine consecutive games at back and ranks sixth among field players with 692 minutes. Sophomore Audrey Cain has three starts and 366 minutes on the backline, while freshman Riley Morris and sophomore Ava Brass also have contributed minutes to the backline efforts.

IV

SCOUTING THE SPARTANS

Michigan State is the top-ranked team in the NCAA in the latest United Soccer Coaches poll following an 8-0-3 start to the season. They are 3-0-1 in Big Ten play and own wins against No. 15 Notre Dame and No. 9 Penn State, with draws against No. 9 Arkansas and No. 15 Xavier. The record is Michigan State's best start to a season in program history while garnering its first No. 1 national ranking.

Graduate forward Meg Hughes leads MSU in scoring this season with 16 points from six goals and four assists. Graduate midfielder Emily Mathews also leads the team in goals with six, while graduate midfielder Justina Gaynor has tallied a team-leading five assists.

Rutgers is 9-2 all-time against Michigan State, playing once in 2004 before the Scarlet Knights' entry into the Big Ten in 2014. RU is 7-2 as Big Ten regular season opponents and 3-1 in East Lansing. The Spartans have won the last two contests - 1-0 in 2022 at home and 2-0 in 2023 in Piscataway.

This is Rutgers' first match against a No. 1 ranked team since losing 1-0 to No. 1 Florida State in the 2021 NCAA College Cup semifinals. The Scarlet Knights have never had an official win against a No. 1, although they did advance against No. 1 Virginia in 2015 in a 7-6 penalty shootout victory after a scoreless draw in the NCAA Tournament quarterfinals in Charlottesville.

V

BODMER'S BOX

Redshirt sophomore goalkeeper Olivia Bodmer has done her part as part of the defensive unit leading to 0.20 goals allowed per game. Bodmer ranks third in the NCAA with her seven solo shutouts. Her 0.20 goals-against average ranks fourth in the nation and first in the Big Ten. Bodmer's .929 save percentage is the best in the NCAA heading into Michigan State.

"We play as a team, we defend as a team," Bodmer said. "All 31 of us are doing what we can to help this team. We call each other sisters, and it helps to have them in front of me. I can't thank them enough; they are the best backline I could ask for. They instill confidence in not just me, but the whole team."

VI

THE ASSIST QUEEN

Senior striker Riley Tiernan's two assists in the 3-0 win over Oregon on Sept. 19 gave her 30 for her career, setting the new school record for career assists at Rutgers. She tied, then passed Gina DeMaio's (2006-10) previous school record of 29. Tiernan now ranks second in the NCAA and is atop the Big Ten with her seven assists this season.

"It's all because of the team," Tiernan said. "We have a lot of talent and depth this year, so knowing I can dish the ball out and my teammates are going to put it in the back of the net is key. You can't be an assister without those people that are going to put the ball away."

Tiernan's game-winner in the 1-0 win over Washington gave her 66 career points, tying her with her sister Madison (Tiernan) Richard for eighth place all-time in the Rutgers record book.

VII

POINTS OF EMPHASIS

Rutgers returned 41 percent of its points from 2023 and was in search for new sources of offense heading into 2024. The underclassmen responded with four Scarlet Knights recording their first collegiate points over the first matches of the season.

Freshman midfielder Shaela Bradley, who has started all 10 games, scored her first goal in the win over Maine and added her first assist in the victory over Lehigh. She is the reigning Big Ten Freshman of the Week after scoring points in both wins over Oregon and Washington, a goal against the Ducks and an assist in the lone goal against Washington.

Redshirt freshman Reilly McGlinn opened her collegiate scoring with Rutgers' goal against Wake Forest in the 1-1 draw and pitched in her first assist in the win over Maine. Redshirt freshman Gabriela Gil scored the opening goal and game-winner against Lehigh for her first score.. Freshman Mikayla Mandleur notched her first collegiate point on the assist in the Lehigh triumph.

VIII

SPREAD OFFENSE

Rutgers' first six goals of the season were scored by six different players. Nine different Scarlet Knights have accounted for their 16 total goals. Eleven different players have recorded a point halfway through the 2024 season.

IX

YOUNG MINUTES

Rutgers sports two true freshmen in the starting lineup in forward Shaela Bradley and back Claire Hammill, alongside another starter in redshirt freshman midfielder Gabriela Gil. The following freshmen or redshirt freshmen also have minutes through the first six games: Reilly McGlinn, Mikayla Mandleur, Riley Morris, Gabby Miller, and Brianna Azevedo.

X

BETWEEN THE POST

Junior forward Allie Post has emerged as a top scoring threat in the Scarlet Knight offense. She scored her first career brace, netting both goals in the 2-0 win over NC State in the non-conference finale. She's the leading Rutgers goal scorer with four tallies, adding a marker in the 3-0 win over Lehigh and the game-winner against Oregon. After scoring four and two points during her freshman and sophomore seasons, respectively, she now has 10 through just nine games as a junior.

XI

IMPACT TRANSFERS

Transfers Sydney Urban (Maryland) and Patricia Tsokos (Arkansas) have made their presence known in their first seasons in Scarlet. Graduate transfer Urban has started in all nine matches in the midfield and has contributed plenty to the 0.20 goals-against average ranking first in the NCAA. Sophomore Tsokos has eight starts in 10 appearances and also flexes well between defensive and midfield positions to chip into the best defensive metrics in the country.

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