The Rutgers women’s soccer team put together a dominant effort on Sunday afternoon at Yurcak Field, routing George Mason 4-0. Three different players scored and junior Nicole Whitley produced a career high 3 assists. Rutgers recorded it’s second shutout of the season to move to 3-0-1 in 2018. In the previous game, the Scarlet Knights tied St. Joe’s 1-1 last Thursday.
Junior Brittany LaPlant put Rutgers in front early on in the 12th minute of action. Whitley set things up by finding sophomore Amirah Ali, who took it down the right side and crossed it to LaPlant, who gathered herself and finished from about 10 yards out. It was her second goal of the season.
#RFutbol takes a 1-0 lead over George Mason on a goal from Brittany LaPlant! #NoRetreat pic.twitter.com/TKmLApKH18
— RutgersWomensSoccer (@RUWSoccer) August 26, 2018
In the 14th minute, Whitley found junior Tiernny Wiltshire at the top of the box and she scored the first goal of her career by lofting the ball over the George Mason goalkeeper, rolling into the back of the net. Rutgers went into halftime leading 2-0.
Tiernny Wiltshire finds the back of the net to give #RFutbol a 2-0 lead! #NoRetreat pic.twitter.com/LBtMG0sRUZ
— RutgersWomensSoccer (@RUWSoccer) August 26, 2018
After the break, Ali joined the scoring action by putting this penalty kick into the back of the net in the 52nd minute.
Amirah Ali converts on the PK for #RFutbol to give the Scarlet Knights a 3-0 lead! #NoRetreat pic.twitter.com/D8nv8R4fzH
— RutgersWomensSoccer (@RUWSoccer) August 26, 2018
True freshman Meagan McClelland has started all four games this season and registered 3 saves on Sunday, delivering her second shutout of her young career. Here is a great save by the goalkeeper.
DENIED! Meagan McClelland with the save to keep #RFutbol's lead at 3-0! #NoRetreat pic.twitter.com/x7A5kr6azD
— RutgersWomensSoccer (@RUWSoccer) August 26, 2018
Ali scored her second goal of the game in the 68th minute on this breakaway than concluded with her calmly finishing inside the box, putting Rutgers up 4-0 midway through the second half.
Catch her if you can! Amirah Ali breaks free to score her second goal of the game! Extends #RFutbol's lead to 4-0 over George Mason #NoRetreat pic.twitter.com/D0bWkdeWW5
— RutgersWomensSoccer (@RUWSoccer) August 26, 2018
Rutgers did a great job of finishing on the offensive end, resulting in a wide margin of victory. In the game, the Scarlet Knights outshot George Mason 11-9 and held a 3-0 edge in corner kicks.
Whtley’s three assists tied her with Carli Lloyd for seventh in program history with 17 career assists. Ali leads Rutgers with 4 goals this season and 9 points overall, while Whitley has 6 points (1 goal, 4 assists) and LaPlant has 4 points (2 goals).
Rutgers travels this Thursday, August 30th for it’s first road game of the season, taking on former Big East foe UConn in Storrs, Connecticut. The Scarlet Knights have beaten the Huskies the past three seasons by the score of 2-0, who were ranked each time they played. This season, UConn is off to a rocky 1-3 start and lost to Boston College 2-0 this past weekend. Thursday’s game is at 7 p.m., as Rutgers looks to remain unbeaten on the season.
.@RVisionRU: @RUWSoccer Blanks George Mason, 4-0 pic.twitter.com/dpI4Qxxi3n
— RutgersWomensSoccer (@RUWSoccer) August 26, 2018