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In its first Big Ten conference matchup of the season, #17 Rutgers Field Hockey (6-1) took its first loss against #10 Michigan in Ann Arbor on Friday, falling 3-1. Sophomore Daphne Groothuis scored the Scarlet Knights’ lone goal in the content. Michigan outshot Rutgers 16-5.
The Wolverines broke the scoreless tie with 10 minutes left in the first half and they went into halftime with the lead. Michigan would score on a penalty corner in the second half to go up 2-0 but Rutgers quickly responded and cut the deficit in half. However, Michigan would score on another penalty corner and Rutgers fell 3-1.
GOAL! Daphne Groothuis carries around the defense and scores! That gets #RUFH on the scoreboard, trailing 2-1 with 18 minutes to play pic.twitter.com/5i5vKa5tPB
— Rutgers Field Hockey (@RUFieldHockey) September 15, 2018
Groothuis’s goal was her fourth of the season, tying Austyn Cuneo for the team lead in goals. Groothuis also leads the team in points with 14. Kerrie Burns had a defensive save for the second straight game and Nikki Profita had her first career defensive save.
Rutgers is now 2-1 against ranked teams this season, defeating both #18 St. Joe’s and #6 Princeton. Rutgers remains winless against Michigan (8-0).
The Scarlet Knights would rebound quickly on Sunday with a 5-0 shutout over Longwood. Groothuis, Tayla Parkes, Linde van Schaik, Kassidy Shetler, and Gianna Mancini all tallied goals. Rutgers outshot Longwood 22-4 and led in penalty corners 10-3.
VICTORY! No. 17 #RUFH defeats Longwood 5-0. RU gets goals from Daphne Groothuis, Tayla Parkes, Linde van Schaik, Kassidy Shetler and Gianna Mancini to improve to 6-1 on the year. pic.twitter.com/neqSKvgvY8
— Rutgers Field Hockey (@RUFieldHockey) September 16, 2018
Rutgers set the tone in the first half, scoring three goals within four minutes. They did not allow a shot until the last few seconds of the first half. They continued to put pressure and control the game, adding two more goals in the second half.
Groothuis now leads the team in both goals (5) and points (16). Shetler has three goals on the season, setting both a new career high in goals and points.
Through seven games, Rutgers is outscoring opposing teams 22-5. Goalkeepers Gianna Glatz and Amanda Lamb combined for the team’s fifth shutout of the season.
The team will continue conference play this weekend when they host Michigan State on Friday at 3PM and #23 Ohio State on Sunday at 1PM. This weekend is also Alumni Weekend and the matchup against the Buckeyes will be nationally televised via Big Ten Network.