Rutgers Women’s Soccer Improves to 6-0 Behind Kroeger
Sam Kroeger enjoyed a big day Sunday against Princeton. Photo: Rutgers Athletics.
Official Rutgers Press Release:
Sam Kroeger needed just 1:45 into the match to score the game winner and 2:56 to record her first collegiate brace, setting the tone for a convincing 3-0 win for No. 9 Rutgers women’s soccer (6-0-0) over Princeton (3-1-0) on Sunday at Yurcak Field.
Meagan McClelland recorded her 38th career clean sheet with a season-high five saves to hold her position as the NCAA active leader in shutouts. “We always talk about the first five minutes and how it’s one of the most important parts of a game, so we wanted to get a few goals to get ahead,” Kroeger said. “Kylie Daigle played a perfect ball to me and I took my chance. Then Becci Fluchel had great awareness on the free kick, I saw the goalkeeper come out, and that left the backdoor open.”
The team’s second consecutive shutout brings Rutgers’ score against opponents this week to 10-0. The win over the Tigers marked a bit of revenge after the Scarlet Knights’ perfect 5-0 start in 2021 was disrupted by a home loss to Princeton by a 4-3 score. Kroeger kickstarted the offense as Daigle’s pass found Kroeger just inside the corner of the Princeton 18-yard box, with the one-time shot beating the keeper to the right and finding the side netting. About a minute later, Fluchel caught the Tigers off guard with a quick free kick toward Kroeger, who settled with her thigh then shot a rocket from the top of the box into the net for the lightning quick 2-0 lead.
Rutgers’ defense, led by Emily Mason, Kassidy Banks, Allison Lynch, and Adriana Kuryla, held Princeton to five shots on goal from their 12 total shot attempts. McClelland was there to make all five stops, including a leaping tip over the cross bar in the 69th minute to preserve the shutout.
Shut out No. 38 for Meagan McClelland, the @NCAASoccer active career leader in clean sheets ... thanks to stops like this one.#WeNeverStop /// #RutgersVsEverybody pic.twitter.com/MShXYakQOa
— RUTGERS WOMEN’S SOCCER (@RUWSoccer) September 4, 2022
Allison Lowrey tied her up with her fourth of the season in the 83rd minute when Sara Brocious played a long ball from the midfield into space. Lowrey finished the breakaway chance with a low shot past the keeper for the 3-0 eventual final score.
After Kroeger went ahead for the team lead in goals, Rutgers outshot Princeton, 16-12, while putting nine of its 16 changes on target. Both sides attempted three corner kicks, and Rutgers was flagged for the only offsides call of the day.
Michael Cohen is the News and Sports Director at Fox Sports Radio New Jersey and Magic 98.3 FM, as well as a radio production assistant with Fox and Magic in New Jersey. He started his career in Somerset in 2018 initially as a news fill-in at WCTC 1450 AM, and soon moved up to higher responsibilities in the ensuing years, assuming News & Sports Director title in 2021Prior to his time with Fox Sports New Jersey, Michael was play-by-play voice for New Jersey Jackals baseball, and as well as play-by-play and color for the College of Staten Island basketball (men and women), softball and baseball. Michael began his career as a news and sportswriter with the Jersey Journal of Hudson County.
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