Rutgers
9-6-3, 6-3-1
Washington
10-4-4, 6-2-2
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Final F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rutgers | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Washington | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Nov 12 | Men's Soccer
SEATTLE ā No. 15 Rutgers men's soccer (9-6-3) played No. 11 Washington (10-4-4) to a 1-1 draw in the Big Ten Tournament Semifinals on Wednesday night at Husky Soccer Stadium. The Huskies advanced to the championship match following a 3-2 penalty shootout.
Simon Gorczowski scored his first career goal for the Scarlet Knights, while Francesco Di Ponzio and Hector Criado each recorded an assist. Goalkeeper Rafael Ponce De Leon made a career-high nine saves across 110 minutes of action.
Rutgers controlled much of the opening half, outshooting Washington 7-5 and holding a 4-2 advantage in shots on goal.
The Scarlet Knights created several early opportunities, including back-to-back shots on target from Nick Collins and Amer Lukovic in the 17th minute in a flurry in front of the net.Ā Di Ponzio added another attempt on goal in the 20th minute, but it was saved by the UW goalkeeper.
After controlling much of play early in the second half, Rutgers broke through in the 66th minute when Gorczowski found the back of the net for his first goal of the season. On a corner kick, Di Ponzo and Criado combined to play it back across the face of goal, with Gorczowski waiting on the post to slam it home and give RU the lead. It wasĀ Gorczowski's first career goal and he became the 17th different Scarlet Knight to score this season.Ā
Washington was awarded a penalty kick in the 77th minute following a foul in the box. While Ponce De Leon did well to stop Zach Ramsey's attempt from the spot, Ramsey volleyed home the rebound to tie the match at 1-1.Ā
Ponce De Leon made several key stops down the stretch, including a save on a header as time expired to send the match into overtime.
The two sides remained level through 20 minutes of overtime, with Ponce De Leon once again playing a key role. He made a stellarĀ save in the 92nd minute on a fastbreak and added another in the 105th minute. Rutgers generated an opportunity in the 106th minute when Matty Lynch put a shot on target, but it was saved.
With the match tied 1-1 after 110 minutes, the teams went to a penalty shootout.
Dan Karsten and Di Ponzio both converted their attempts for Rutgers, while Ponce De Leon made a save on Washington's second attempt. The Huskies ultimately prevailed 3-2 in the shootout to advance to the Big Ten Championship Game.Ā
Up Next
Rutgers now awaits its placement in the 2026 NCAA Men's Soccer Tournament. The NCAA Selection Show is scheduled for Monday, Nov. 16 at 1 p.m. ET.
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Players Mentioned
Team Stats
Simon Gorczowski (1)
Assisted By: Francesco Di Ponzio , Hector Criado
GOAL by RU Gorczowski, Simon Assist by Di Ponzio, Francesco and Criado, Hector.
65:23
Zach Ramsey (19)
GOAL by WASH Ramsey, Zach.
76:47
