PISCATAWAY, N.J. (Oct. 21, 2011) – In a physical, high-intensity match, the Rutgers women’s soccer team (8-7-3, 3-5-3) knotted Seton Hall (8-7-3, 4-6-1) by a score of 2-2 Friday night at Yurcak Field. With an outburst of goals in the second half, RU secured the No. 5 seed in the BIG EAST Tournament and will find out its first round opponent tomorrow.  

 

“We are happy to still be playing and to give our seniors at least one more match,” said head coach Glenn Crooks. “When you get into the playoffs, anything can happen. I’m proud of this team. There was a string of games where we could not finish, and this team battled through adversity to get here.”

 

Seton Hall got on the board first, just three minutes after halftime. Ashley Clarke crossed the ball to Taylor Wilson up top, who pushed it to Stephanie Soma on the left side. The forward headed the ball into the bottom left of the net, past junior goalkeeper Emmy Simpkins (Concord, N.C.), who had come out to challenge.

 

Rutgers answered eight minutes later, as senior Julie Lancos (Belford, N.J.) booted a corner kick into the box. SHU keeper Jennifer Pettigrew tried to intercept the pass, but could not handle it and sophomore Tori Leigh (Hamilton, N.J.) blasted a shot from eight yards out for her first career score. The goal was top shelf and knotted the score at one.

 

The Pirates looked to gain the advantage in the 72nd minute, as Wilson sent a soaring corner kick into the box that Simpkins could not get her hands on. A streaking Kristina Meier tapped the ball into the right side of the net to give SHU a 2-1 lead.

 

The Scarlet Knights would not concede, evening the score 56 seconds later. Redshirt junior Stefanee Pace (Kearny, N.J.) earned a free kick on the left side of the field, crossing it to the opposite side of the box. Senior Jasmine Edwards (San Diego, Calif.) corralled the pass, pushing it to Ashley Medcalf (Waipahu, Hawaii), who was cutting down the middle of the box. The senior midfielder flicked the ball into the top right of the net to tie the game at two.

 

Redshirt junior April Price (Mechanicsville, Va.) nearly ended the game in the 107th minute, sending a laser towards the net from 30 yards out. The ball hit the crossbar and bounced towards the line, but the Pirates were able to send it out of danger.

 

Freshman Stef Scholz (South Hackensack, N.J.) hit the post on a rocketed shot with 4:51 to go in the second half. The ball hit the inside of the bar and squirted out.

 

A physical Garden State match, there were 26 combined fouls and three yellow cards issued. Rutgers outshot Seton Hall by a 15-12 margin. Simpkins made five saves on the night.

 

Five RU seniors – Edwards, Lancos, Medcalf, Casey Rupon (Whitehouse Station, N.J.) and Karla Schacher (Tofield, Alberta, Canada) – were honored before the game. All five earned the start, including Rupon in net.

 

The Scarlet Knights await the outcome of the Providence/Connecticut match. St. John’s defeated Syracuse, 2-0, tonight. Depending on the result, RU will either travel to Providence, R.I., Storrs, Conn., or Queens, N.Y. on Thursday, Oct. 27 for the first round of the conference championship.