Sophomore Kylie Daigle scored the only goal of the game when she fired a penalty kick into the Indiana net to the left of a diving Jamie Gerstenberg at 60:25, giving the Scarlet Knights a 1-0 lead in a tight defensive match at Yurcak Field. It would prove to be the only goal of the game, but it was enough to give Rutgers yet another Big Ten victory against an Indiana squad that has yet to find its first conference win in 2022.
The No. 10 ranked Scarlet Knights (now 12-1-1) continued their efforts towards once again capturing the Big Ten title by taking care of business against a Hoosiers team that entered the game at 2-4-6 on the season.
From the start, Rutgers’ defense focused its attention on the three leading scorers for Indiana, sophomore forward Jordyn Levy, freshman midfielder Ava Akeel and junior forward Anna Bennett. But on a cool, sunny autumn afternoon in front of 1,641 fans, the Rutgers defense warmed to the task, controlling the time of possession, and limiting the Hoosiers’ offensive chances.
When the RU defense did let up, it was once again goalkeeper Meagan McClelland who came up with a key save to keep Indiana off the scoreboard. The 1-0 victory over the Hoosiers represented the forty-second clean sheet for McClelland, who continues to march towards the Rutgers program shutout record.
But this win was one for the defense, as they frustrated nearly every Hoosier foray into the Rutgers end of the field, limiting Indiana to just three shots in the entire match. In the game, Rutgers managed 12 shots, six of which were on goal.
Desperate to find offense, Hoosiers’ head coach Erwin van Bennekom utilized 16 players during the contest. While Gerstenberg was solid in goal during the match for Indiana, this day belonged to the Scarlet Knights, who continue to keep their eyes on the prize as they pursue their second consecutive Big Ten Conference title. Indiana has now dropped to 0-5-1 in conference play.
Sunday’s victory was the first of a three-game homestand for the defending conference champions, who will next be back in action against the Minnesota Golden Gophers. The game is set for Thursday, October 13 with a start time of 7 p.m. at Yurcak Field.
--------------------------------------------------------------
• Subscribe to our YouTube Channel
•Talk about it inside The Round Table Message Board
•Talk about it inside the FREE Rutgers Olympics Sports Forum
