The Scarlet Knights opened the 2023 season in convincing style, overpowering non-conference foe Holy Cross 2-0 at Yurcak Field. Riley Tiernan’s goal at 5:42 of the first half proved to be the only one that they would need on their way to victory.
Tiernan’s tally was controversial, as a collision in front of the net appeared destined to negate the score due to goalkeeper interference. After Becci Fluchel’s free kick carried to the front of the net, Holy Cross goalkeeper Julia Walsh came out to make a play on the ball and RU’s Naila Schoefberger collided with her, sending both players to the ground. With the keeper out of position, Allie Post attempted to blast one on net, but it was blocked due to the scramble in front of the goal. The ball then caromed to Tiernan, who buried it into the back of the net at 5:42. After Holy Cross head coach Ben Graham had a brief but unsuccessful discussion with the officials, the goal stood and Rutgers claimed a 1-0 lead.
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The Knights went up 2-0 when Allison Lowery was taken down in front of the Crusaders’ net and awarded a penalty kick. From point blank range, Lowrey lined up the shot and buried it into the left corner as Walsh guessed incorrectly, diving towards the opposite side of the net.
Head coach Mike O’Neill looked to get critical pitch time for his players, substituting junior Emily Mason into the game with 19:25 remaining in the first half. Mason, who had suffered a season-ending ACL injury in 2022, returned to the pitch wearing a left leg brace as the stands erupted in cheers. But O’Neill also took advantage of the 2-0 lead and his team’s strong play to insert first-year players Ashley Baran, Olivia Russomano and Alyssa Martinez with 8:25 remaining to assimilate them into the mix.
In addition to goals from their veteran leadership, Rutgers rolled out a smothering defense in front of starting goalkeeper Olivia Bodmer, who only faced one shot on goal from the Crusaders for the entirety of the first half.
In the second half, the Knights looked to control play with the possession game to grind down the clock. However, when Fluchel was forcibly knocked to the ground at 54:07 by senior Cerys Balmer, Rutgers saw the opportunity to extend their lead to 3-0 on a penalty kick. But this time Walsh was up to the task, diving to her left to stop Fluchel’s shot to keep the match a two-goal game.
Walsh’s play kept the Crusaders in a game where they were physically overmatched, on an evening when the Scarlet Knights could have easily scored five or six times against a lesser goalkeeper.
While Bodmer officially faced only two shots on goal from the Crusaders, the 2-0 victory was an important first step for Rutgers, as team confidence in their new goalkeeper can only serve to galvanize the team going forward. In her first collegiate start, Bodmer recorded a clean sheet, thanks in large part to a total team defensive effort.
The Knights are back in action on Sunday, August 20 against Hofstra. The match is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Yurcak Field and will be carried on the Big Ten Plus network.
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