Rutgers field hockey prepares for Big Ten opener against Maryland, rivalry game against Princeton
Another weekend is in the books for the Rutgers field hockey team following a dominant 6-1 win over Miami. The Scarlet Knights (3-2, 0-0) now are in the midst of a four-day break before another weekend double-header against two ranked opponents.
Below is a breakdown of No. 13 Rutgers and its two opponents, Maryland and Princeton, and what the Knights need to do to secure the wins against the tough twosome.
Friday versus Maryland
Rutgers will travel down to College Park, Maryland, on Friday for its first Big Ten action of the year. The Terrapins (4-2, 0-0) have had a strong start to the season, with their only losses coming from top-five teams Duke and Virginia.
Leading the charge for No. 7 Maryland thus far has been Kylee Niswonger, scoring 3 goals on just four shots through the first six games. Alongside her will be Fleur Knopert, who has tallied 2 goals and an assist so far, as well as Josie Hollamon, who has a goal and an assist.
Defending the net for the Knights will be redshirt senior goalkeeper Sophia Howard. Howard has 16 saves this season, conceding just 6 goals through five games. Aiding her on the defensive end is redshirt junior back Puck Winter. Winter already has three defensive saves this season, an impressive feat for the former 2023 Second Team All-American that places her in the top three in the country for the statistic.
The Terrapins' goalkeeper, Alyssa Klebasko, is a solid player as well. Through six games, Klebasko has conceded just 4 goals and logged 13 saves. This is especially impressive considering the level of talent the team has played, holding both the Blue Devils (4-2, 0-0) and the Cavaliers (5-0, 0-0) to 1 goal apiece.
Sunday versus Princeton
Rutgers will return home on Sunday to face the Tigers (2-2, 0-0) in Piscataway. A somewhat similar story to Maryland, No. 18 Princeton's two losses were against some tough competition like No. 2 North Carolina and No. 20 Penn State. Though, unlike the Terrapins, the Tigers did pull off a ranked win over No. 12 Louisville.
For the Knights, senior midfielder Guillermina Causarano will need to continue her hot streak. Causarano has 5 goals in five games, accounting for a third of the team's total goals. Causarano also has three assists and is the star of the Rutgers roster.
The other top scorer for the Knights is graduate student forward Kara Heck. Heck has 3 goals and an assist through five games and has been pivotal for Rutgers.
Between the posts for Princeton will be Robyn Thompson. Thompson has allowed 5 goals in four games and notched 17 saves, giving her one more than Howard in one less game.
Despite winning two games, the Tigers have only scored 4 total goals, each belonging to a different player. The leader on that side is Beth Yeager, with 1 goal and one assist. Yeager was a First Team All-American for Princeton back in 2022.
Coverage of Rutgers' match against Maryland will start Friday at 5 p.m. on Big Ten Plus. Sunday's match against Princeton will air on Big Ten Plus at noon.
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