PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Dom Sarle (Huntington, N.Y./Bradenton Prep), Dave Nigro (Marlboro, N.J./Marlboro) and Bryant Avalos (Brick, N.J./Monsignor Donovan) each scored a goal and added an assist as the Monmouth University men’s soccer team soundly defeated intrastate foe Rutgers, 3-0, Tuesday night at Yurcak Field. With the win, the Hawks improve to 4-1-0 on the season, while Rutgers falls to 3-3-0. Rutgers entered the match with an 11-0 lead in the all-time series. The teams had not met since 2004, when Monmouth Head Coach Robert McCourt coached his third game with the program.  

“I’m really proud of the performance that the guys put in today,” said McCourt “It’s the first game of a real tough road swing and to beat Rutgers at Rutgers is a difficult task. They’re a very good Big 10 team. I thought our guys went out and really worked their socks off and got a deserved result.”

The Hawks broke through in the 33^rd minute when Nigro played the ball up the middle to Sarle, who beat Rutgers goalkeeper David Greczek from the top of the 18-yard box. The goal was Sarle’s team-leading fourth of the season.

After Monmouth took the 1-0 lead into halftime, the Hawks got some insurance on Nigro’s third goal of the year in the 65^th minute. Avalos played the ball in from the left to Nigro, who collected the pass and finished into the back right from 10 yards out.

Avalos put the game away at the 78-minute mark, taking Sarle’s cross from right of the Rutgers third and tapping it past Greczek to put Monmouth ahead, 3-0.

For the game, Rutgers took a 17-8 edge in shots. However, six of Monmouth’s eight shots were on target, while the Scarlet Knights managed just five shots on target of their 17 tries. Rutgers also took a 5-3 edge in corner kicks. Monmouth sophomore goalkeeper Eric Klenofsky (Lincoln Park, N.J./DePaul Catholic) cleaned up all five chances he saw for his third clean sheet of the season. Greczek made three saves in defeat.

The Hawks return to action Saturday, when they travel to Villanova. Kickoff from Villanova Soccer Complex is slated for 1 p.m.

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