Rutgers Field Hockey open the season with back to back wins over Maine & Ball State

The Rutgers field hockey team played on back to back days to open its 2019 campaign and delivered commanding victories in both contests. On Friday, the no. 19 Scarlet Knights defeated no. 24 Maine 3-0 and followed that up with a 4-1 win over Ball State on Saturday.

Redshirt senior Austyn Cuneo led the way, scoring two goals and adding an assist against Maine before scoring another goal against Ball State. Redshirt junior Katie Larmour, back after missing all but one game last season due to injury, scored two goals in the victory over Ball State. Here is what she had to say after Saturday’s win and her first two-goal game since 2016:

Junior Kerrie Burns had a goal and an assist in the win over Maine, while redshirt sophomore Clayre Smith scored her first collegiate goal against Ball State. Redshirt senior Emily Howarth and sophomore Tayla Parkes each had an assist vs. Maine, while freshmen Maggie Lamb and Rachel Houston produced the first assists of their careers on the banks.

Rutgers dominated the action in both victories, combining to outshoot the two opponents by a margin of 40-8 and 26-6 with shots on goal. They also combined to produce 22 corners and allowed just 4 from the two visitors, including none from Maine.

Last season’s First Team All-Big Ten and All-Region goalkeeper Gianna Glatz, a junior, produced five saves total in the two victories.

After a 2-0 record to start the season, Rutgers will head to Storrs, Connecticut on Friday, September 6th to face no. 4 UConn. It’s a rematch of last year’s NCAA Tournament First Round game in which the Huskies won 5-0. The Scarlet Knights has a very difficult non-conference schedule and will face two more ranked foes directly after UConn in no. 17 St. Joseph’s and no. 16 Delaware. Head coach Meredith Civico said in our season preview that in regard to her scheduling philosophy, “to be the best, you have to play the best and beat the best. We want to make sure that we are improving week to week and our non-conference schedule is really preparing us and setting us up for success in our conference. The Big Ten is one of the best in the country and we want to make sure every team we are playing helps us to learn and grow each weekend.”

So far so good for the Scarlet Knights, who will also face Monmouth and no. 6 Princeton later this month before opening up Big Ten play against last year’s national finalist and no. 2 Maryland on Saturday, September 28th.

Highlights:

Rutgers 3 Maine 0

Rutgers 4 Ball State 1