Rutgers men's soccer set to play Wisconsin, Penn State this week
The Rutgers men's soccer team has a busy week ahead and is looking to bounce back following a 2-0 road loss to Northwestern. The Scarlet Knights (3-6-2, 1-3-1) will return to Yurcak Field on Busch campus to face Wisconsin on Friday and Penn State on Tuesday.
Up first for Rutgers is a match against the Badgers (4-3-5, 1-1-3). Wisconsin is coming into this game off the back of a 1-1 tie with Bradley.
Last season, the Knights played the Badgers twice. Rutgers won 2-0 in Madison, Wisconsin, and then defeated Wisconsin in a penalty shootout at home in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Tournament.
Overall, the Knights hold a 5-6-1 record against the Badgers and have not lost since September 2021.
Wisconsin is currently in fifth place in the Big Ten with 6 points. The Badgers have struggled on the attack this season, having scored 11 goals in 12 matches.
Maxwell Keenan leads Wisconsin with 6 points off of 1 goal and four assists. Tim Bielic and Mitchell Dryden have scored a team-leading 2 goals.
Nate Crockford will likely start between the posts for the Badgers. Crockford has played every minute this season and boasts a .700 save percentage and a goals-against average of 1.
Rutgers will need to take advantage of Wisconsin's poor attack and be clinical in front of the opponent's goal to find success in the contest.
On Tuesday, the Knights will face off against the Nittany Lions (6-2-3, 2-1-1).
Rutgers defeated Penn State 2-1 last season. In that match, junior midfielder Matthew Acosta and sophomore forward Ian Abbey both found the back of the net to earn the win.
Last year's win broke the Knights' seven-game losing streak to the Nittany Lions, and Rutgers has a 7-12 all-time record against Penn State.
The Nittany Lions are tied for third in the Big Ten with 7 points. Unlike the Badgers, Penn State has a high-powered attack and has scored the second-most goals in the conference.
Peter Mangione has scored a team-leading 5 goals and has provided one assist. The Knights' defense will also need to look out for Liam Butts and Alex Stevenson, as the duo has combined for 5 goals and four assists.
The Nittany Lions are also strong on defense and have conceded the third-fewest goals in the Big Ten.
Kris Shakes will likely start between the posts for Penn State. Shakes has started all 11 games, owns an 81.8 save percentage and allows opposing teams to score less than 1 goal per game.
Rutgers will look to graduate student midfielders Jackson Temple and Abbey to create and convert scoring chances for the team. Junior defender Joey Zalinsky and freshman defender Nick Collins must remain sharp on the defensive end.
Friday's game against Wisconsin will kick off at 6 p.m., and Tuesday's match with the Nittany Lions will kick off at the same time. Both contests will be broadcast on the Big Ten Network and 88.7 WRSU-FM.
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