Rutgers men's soccer prepares for road game against Michigan
The Rutgers men's soccer team will travel to Ann Arbor, Michigan, to face off against Michigan on Friday. The Scarlet Knights (2-3-2, 0-0-1) are looking to earn their first conference win against the Wolverines (1-2-3, 0-0-1).
Last season, Rutgers defeated Michigan by a score of 2-1. In that game, former graduate student forward MD Myers and sophomore forward Ian Abbey scored to claim the victory.
The Knights have historically struggled against the Wolverines and have a 3-7-2 all-time record against them.
Michigan has gotten off to a slow start this season and is coming into this match off the back of a 2-2 tie with Maryland in its opening conference game.
Bryce Blevins is tied for the statistical lead in the Wolverines attack with 2 goals, one assist and 5 points in six games. Last season, Blevins provided a team-leading five assists.
Alex Waggoner is another player who can make an impact in the match, as he has netted 2 goals this season as well.
Between the posts, Hayden Evans has started five games and has allowed opponents to score 1.56 goals per game. Isaiah Goldson has also been featured in the last two games and was the starting goalkeeper against the Terrapins (1-3-2, 0-1-1). Goldson may be in line to start against Rutgers as he owns an impressive .778 save percentage.
Michigan struggled offensively last year, as it scored a conference-low 19 goals and finished last in the Big Ten with only 1 win.
This season, the Wolverines have struggled on the other side of the ball. Michigan has already conceded 9 goals, which is the second-most in the conference and ahead of the Knights, who have conceded 12 goals.
Rutgers is coming off of a 1-1 tie with Michigan State, where graduate student midfielder Jackson Temple scored a last-second goal to secure the draw. The Knights will need to use the momentum they gained from the last 5 minutes of their match against the Spartans (4-0-2, 0-0-1) in their match against the Wolverines.
Rutgers is one of the best offensive teams in the Big Ten, as it has scored 10 goals, which is the third-most in the conference.
The Knights will need to continue their dominance in attack to find success on Friday. Temple has been in impressive form recently and will look to create scoring opportunities as well as find the back of the net. Abbey is another player who has seen plenty of game time and will need to contribute in front of the opposing goal.
Rutgers must strengthen its defense on Friday. The Knights have struggled defending, as they have allowed the most goals in the Big Ten. Junior defender Joey Zalinsky and graduate student defender Chris Tiao will bring veteran experience and stabilize the defensive line.
The game between Rutgers and Michigan will begin at 7 p.m. and will be played at the U-M Soccer Stadium. The game will be broadcast on Big Ten Plus.
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