No. 16/10 WSOC Treks To Wisconsin, Minnesota
Oct 23 | Women's Soccer
PISCATAWAY, N.J. - The No. 16/10 Rutgers women's soccer team treks to the Midwest this weekend for two critical Big Ten matches against No. 12/12 Wisconsin and Minnesota. RU faces the Badgers Friday night in a key league matchup, as both teams enter the weekend tied for second in the conference with 22 points.
Minnesota, meanwhile, looks to improve upon its sixth-place standing and rebound from a 4-1 loss to Wisconsin last weekend.
GAME NOTES | WEBSITE | 2014 STATISTICS | ROSTER | FACT BOOK No. 12/12 Wisconsin (13-2-1, 7-2-1 Big Ten) - Friday, Oct. 24, 8 p.m.
BTN Plus | Minnesota (8-7-1, 5-4-1 Big Ten) - Sunday, Oct. 26, 2 p.m.
BTN Plus | With a win Friday, the Scarlet Knights (11-2-1, 7-2-1 Big Ten) would take sole possession of second place in the conference with two games remaining in the regular season. Michigan also enters with 22 points on the weekend, but RU owns the tiebreaker with the Wolverines after beating them, 1-0, at home on Sept. 19.
Rutgers Quick Kicks
• RU enters the weekend with an 11-2-1 record after falling, 1-0, at home to Northwestern on Oct, 19 for the first home loss since Oct. 24 of last season.
• The Scarlet Knights enter the weekend with a No. 10 ranking by Soccer America.
• Defense has been a key part to RU's hot start. Rutgers is fourth in the nation in GAA (0.42) and fifth in save percentage (.887)
• The team is on its way to breaking its program goals allowed record of 11, set in 2009 and 1992. RU has allowed just six goals this season.
• Rutgers has lost just twice in its last 19 matches dating back to last season (13-2-4).
• Senior Stef Scholz (South Hackensack, N.J.) and sophomore Madison Tiernan (Voorhees, N.J.) are tied for third in the Big Ten with three game-winning goals.
• Scholz is currently tied for ninth on RU's all-time goals list with 20 in her career. She is also tied for seventh all-time with seven game-winning goals in her RU career.
• Rutgers is 15-16-4 (.485) all-time against the Big Ten Conference, but has won 10 of its last 13 (10-2-1) matches against league opponents dating back to the 2008 NCAA Tournament. Prior to this season, RU topped Ohio State, 1-0, in double overtime on Aug. 29, 2012 and defeated Penn State in consecutive meetings: 1-0 at No. 13 PSU on Sept. 6, 2009 and 2-1 vs. No. 20 PSU on Nov. 14, 2008 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
• The Scarlet Knights have recorded double-digit shots in 32 of their last 36 matches dating back to the 2013 season.
• Rutgers has captured three victories against ranked opponents this season: 1-0 at No. 6/7 Penn State (Oct. 11), 1-0 vs. No. RV/21 Michigan (Sept. 21) and 1-0 vs. No. RV/13 Iowa (Sept. 28). It is the most wins vs. ranked opponents since at least the 2008 season.
• RU has displayed its depth time and time again this season. Through 14 matches, head coach Mike O'Neill has cycled in at least six reserves in each match, with six logging more than 10 minutes in each contest. The Scarlet Knights have used at least eight reserves in seven-straight contests dating back to the team's 1-0 win over Michigan State on Sept. 19.
Scouting Wisconsin
• The Badgers look to add to their two-game winning streak this weekend in what is their final two-game set at the McClimon Complex. Wisconsin will host Rutgers Friday and Maryland Sunday.
• Senior Cara Walls leads UW with 11 goals this season, while junior Kinley McNicoll leads the squad with 23 points (8g, 7a).
• Redshirt senior Genevieve Richard has started all 16 games in between the pipes for Wisconsin. She owns a 0.46 GAA, an .883 save percentage and 13-2-1 record.
• 10 of the 26 Badgers on the roster hail from Wisconsin.
All-time Series vs. the Badgers
• Rutgers and Wisconsin will meet on the pitch for the third time in the history of both programs. RU seeks its first win against the Badgers, with UW holding a 1-0-1 all-time series lead.
Scouting Minnesota
• Minnesota is sixth in the Big Ten entering the weekend, looking to move up in the conference standings in advance of the postseason.
• The Golden Gophers dropped a 4-1 match to Wisconsin their last time out, which snapped a three-match unbeaten streak.
• Sophomore Simone Kolander leads Minnesota in all three offensive categories (5g, 8a, 18 pts.)
• Tarah Hobbs has started in 15 of Minnesota's 16 games. She owns a 1.25 GAA, .784 save percentage and 8-6-1 record.
• 18 of Minnesota's 26 players are from Minnesota.
All-time Series vs. the Golden Gophers
• Rutgers leads Minnesota, 1-0, all-time after defeating the Golden Gophers, 3-1, on Sept. 29, 1995.
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