The No. 16 ranked Scarlet Knights just got hotter as they picked up their fourth straight win and first ranked win of the season. The Scarlet Knights continued their success on the road after a very exciting road trip on the West Coast.
In Storrs, Connecticut, the Scarlet Knights came to play as they took down the UConn Huskies 2-1 after overtime and a penalty shootout. The much anticipated matchup between the two schools did not disappoint as they used up every second (and more) to showcase their talents.
While the Scarlet Knights got the best of the Huskies, it was a hard fought gritty battle between the two teams with lots of shots, saves and corners.
The Breakdown
The match was scoreless between the two all the way until six minutes into the second half. The Scarlet Knights struck first thanks to Guillermina Causarano, who put away an unassisted score.
The Scarlet Knights only held the lead briefly, as the Huskies recorded a score of their own six minutes later. The two teams stayed tied in regulation and in overtime, sending the match to a penalty shootout.
The shootout went back and forth between the two teams, with no team getting an advantage after the first round of five. The Scarlet Knights and Huskies were forced to go to a second round, where Rutgers didn’t gain an upper hand until their very last shooter. Paulina Niklaus was the hero for the Scarlet Knights as she snuck the ball right under the Huskies goalkeeper.
Despite the score, the job wasn’t finished for Rutgers. It wasn’t until goalkeeper Sophia Howard sealed the deal with a great save off the cage to officially win the game.
⚔️ 4-0 to start the season
⚔️ 3rd straight win over UConn (all have gone past regulation)
⚔️ 1st ranked win of the seasonRecap and Notes from a thrilling 2-1 win in a penalty shootout at No. 15 UConn: https://t.co/UNXi0YSmtf pic.twitter.com/QZIsSxwZHc
— Rutgers Field Hockey (@RUFieldHockey) September 2, 2023
Important Game Notes
- Rutgers redshirt junior goalkeeper Sophia Howard had herself a day as she registered nine saves, including two crucial ones during overtime
- After this game, Howard’s goals against average moved to .46 and her save percentage moved to an .895.
- The Scarlet Knights 4-0 start is the second time in three years Rutgers has started off this strong
- This is the Scarlet Knights third straight win over UConn. All of which have made it to extra time
- Rutgers moves to 4-0 and UConn moves to 1-2 on the season
- Olivia Beattie made her first ever collegiate start
Team Statistics
| RU | UConn | |
| Goals | 1 | 1 |
| Shots | 17 | 21 |
| Shots on goal | 9 | 10 |
| Saves | 9 | 8 |
| Corners | 7 | 9 |
| Fouls | 0 | 0 |
Rutgers Game Leaders
- Guillermina Causarano: 3 shots (2 on goal), one goal
- Paulina Niklaus: 3 shots (1 on goal)
- Marique Dieudonne: 3 shots (1 on goal)
- Puck Winter: 3 shots (3 on goal)
Next Game
The Scarlet Knights get a bit of a break before they are back on the road against Villanova.
- September 8th at 6:00 PM EST vs Villnaova
- Location: Villanova University
- Watch: Flo Live
- For full schedule click here
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