Rutgers field hockey looks to right ship against No. 5 Michigan
The Rutgers field hockey team is looking to get back in the win column with its trip to Michigan on Friday. The Scarlet Knights (4-6, 1-3) have fallen in their last two games, both Big Ten matchups.
Rutgers faces a tall order this weekend against the Wolverines (8-1, 2-0). This is the Knights' sixth-ranked match of the season.
No. 5 Michigan has been having a stellar season. The team's only loss came against the No. 1 team in the country, North Carolina.
The Wolverines have outscored their opponents this season 40-10, averaging an impressive 4.44 goals per game.
Rutgers may see both of Michigan's goaltenders in its meeting this weekend. Hala Silverstein has started all nine games for her team this season, but Caylie McMahon has come in to finish five of those games. McMahon has not allowed a goal yet this year across 85 minutes between the posts.
The Knights must keep tabs on the Wolverines' top goal-scorers. Kate McLaughlin and Abby Tamer lead the team with 9 and 8 goals, respectively. McLaughlin and Tamer have each posted 22 points on the season, being at the forefront of Michigan's explosive offense. Tamer especially has game-breaking talent, as she has just returned to the Wolverines after competing for Team USA in the Paris Olympics. She was away from the team last season while she trained for the Olympics, but she has not skipped a beat for Michigan since her return.
Rutgers is looking to return to winning against its conference opponents on Friday. Despite the team's overtime loss to Indiana last week, there are still upsides to take from the trip to Bloomington.
Senior midfielder Paulina Niklaus netted 3 goals in the game, her first career hat trick. Niklaus now joins senior midfielder Guillermina Causarano with 6 goals on the season.
The duo has been instrumental in the Knights' offensive successes this season, but the squad will need to tighten things up on the back end if they want to compete with a powerhouse team like the Wolverines.
A win against Michigan would mark Rutgers' second-ranked victory this year and scratch another tally in the conference win column.
The Knights have had the upper hand against the Wolverines in recent history as the former has won 3 of the last 4 against Michigan, including a win in the 2023 Big Ten Tournament that eliminated the Wolverines in the opening round.
Rutgers turn around the season with a big road victory.
Friday's game will begin at 4 p.m. in Ann Arbor, Michigan, with the game being broadcast on Big Ten Plus.
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