No. 20 Rutgers field hockey set to play 2024 regular season finale against UMass Lowell
The Rutgers field hockey team will finish off the regular season with a road trip to UMass Lowell this weekend. The Scarlet Knights (7-7, 4-4) are looking to close their season with a win before postseason action.
No. 20 Rutgers is on a three-game winning streak, having topped three Big Ten opponents in the last two weeks. Along with getting their ranking back, the Knights have stepped up after hitting a rough patch early in their season. This team is back to performing much like fans have seen before.
Rutgers is coming off a Senior Day shutout win on its home turf against Penn State. Redshirt junior back Puck Winter scored the lone goal for the Knights, her first of the season, while redshirt senior goalkeeper Sophia Howard kept the Nittany Lions (8-8, 2-5) at bay.
Not only was the win a great way to end the season at home, but it also marked Rutgers' second consecutive ranked win. This is a big feat for a team that struggled against ranked sides early this year.
The Knights are looking to build on that momentum and snag another win before the Big Ten Tournament kicks off next weekend in College Park, Maryland. Rutgers will face off against the River Hawks (8-7, 2-3) on Friday at noon.
UMass Lowell is going into this week after a 4-0 loss against New Hampshire. It is almost a guarantee that the team will be even hungrier to score some goals after the shutout.
Madison Leeper leads the River Hawks in scoring. She posts an impressive 11 goals on the season, 5 more than the next leading goalscorer on the team. Her 22 points make her an obvious threat for the Knights to keep an eye on.
UMass Lowell has been splitting time almost evenly between its two goalkeepers, Christina Calandra and Marie Oliemans. Both have played more than 400 minutes, allowing 27 goals and making 90 saves between the two of them.
Howard will no doubt be in the opposite net for Rutgers. She has not allowed a goal since October 11, when the team was bested by Michigan.
While the Knights are not taking on a Big Ten opponent or a ranked team, they have a big order to fill this weekend to try and end the season with a winning record. With her team-leading 7 goals, senior forward Paulina Niklaus will look to help Rutgers out in its finale against the River Hawks this week.
The Knights and UMass Lowell are set to face off at noon on Friday in Lowell, Massachusetts.
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