Rutgers University Men’s soccer has just experienced one of its most pivotal weeks this season. There have been goals, title-defining victories, rivals silenced, and recognition conference-wide all packed into such a short period of time. It appeared each day there was another achievement occurring to build upon the last. This consistent stream of accomplishments could be the foundation for a successful end of the year run.
Just under a week ago the Scarlet Knights pulled off one of the most unexpected upsets of the NCAA Division I Men’s Soccer season with a 1-0 victory against the second highest ranked team in the country, Indiana. At the final whistle the Big Ten standings were immediately impacted with the Hoosiers losing their first match of the season and being disallowed in creating an even larger gap between themselves and the rest of the division. The consequence of losing in Piscataway led to Indiana being level on points with that of then second place Michigan State, both currently with a 5-1-1 record.
The remaining contenders within the Big Ten have Rutgers to thank as now Indiana are still within a reasonable position to overtake. The Scarlet Knights themselves will be looking to take advantage of this situation via a title pursuit of their own. The confidence knowing they have the ability to not only challenge, but defeat the current favorites may be the momentum generating feat that carries them toward this goal.
In this matchup two players in particular stood out, these two being forward Francesco DiPonzio and goalkeeper Rafael Ponce de Leon. DiPonzio, a New Jersey native, was the difference on the scoresheet netting the lone goal in the match which allowed Rutgers to see out a victory versus Indiana for the first time in just under four years. Although DiPonzio’s contribution will be clearly visible just by glancing at the Rutgers side of the final score, it would have all been in vain unless a clean sheet was kept, indicated by the glaring “0” on Indiana’s side. The previously mentioned Ponce de Leon ensured the 73rd minute strike was the match winner with an absolutely incredible shot stopping effort of the highest quality in the 32nd minute.
The exemplary performances of the two earned them both recognition in the Big Ten weekly awards. Francesco DiPonzio was named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week due to his constant threat to the Hoosier’s net which resulted in five total shots. This applied critical pressure on the Indiana backline throughout the game that eventually succumbed to his goal. On the other end of the pitch, Rafael Ponce de Leon earned the honor of Big Ten Goalkeeper of the Week. The conclusion of the game that saw him earn his second clean sheet of the season as well as the team’s fourth culminated in this recognition from the Big Ten.
The celebrations from the battle against Indiana and the awards would come to an end abruptly as the Scarlet Knights had to then begin preparations for their matchup against neighboring-state rivals Penn State University. The match was played on Tuesday Oct. 20 in University Park, Pennsylvania and it was prevalent from the whistle at kickoff that the vigor expressed in the Indiana game was ever present in the Rutgers squad. It took only 58 seconds for them to take the lead over the Nittany Lions with a Dan Karsten strike. The opening 20 minutes was all it took for the away side to get out to a three goal lead thanks to DiPonzio building on his remarkable form and William Pierce finishing off an opportunity that came off the back of a corner kick.
Going into halftime with the score 3-0 there was little hope of a Penn State comeback, especially considering they were only able to amass three total shots compared to Rutger’s 10. With the lack of danger for points to be dropped, no one would fault the New Jersey team for coasting out the remaining minutes without exerting much effort. This was certainly not the case as within fifteen minutes of the match resuming there were two more goals scored from the Scarlet Knights. They are credited to a 54th minute Thomas Angelone goal from a nearly impossible angle off the left and a 60th minute Nick Collins penalty conversion. These would be the last of the goals scored meaning the game finished 5-0 in favor of Rutgers.
The key takeaways from the match include Rutgers picking up its fifth clean sheet of the season, leading assister Amer Lukovic adding two more to his four on the season, the team equalling its most-ever Big Ten wins for a league campaign, and finding themselves in third place with a record of 5-3 with 15 points sitting just behind joint-top Indiana and Michigan State (both as previously stated with a 5-1-1 record and on 16 points). It has been quite a remarkable week for the Scarlet Knights, but another swift turnaround will be necessary as they face Michigan at home on Friday, October 23 at 7 p.m.
The utmost attention is required for this game because a victory against the Wolverines could potentially set up a Big Ten Regular Season Championship defining clash with Michigan State on the final match day the following week. Rutgers has already established itself as a formidable contender this season, showcasing the talent and determination necessary to compete in one of the most competitive conferences. However, with their sights set on their very first top of the league finish in the Big Ten, the work is far from finished. As the season draws to a close the margins for error become more and more slim, but from the impressive campaign they have constructed so far, it may only take a couple more wins to turn it into a historic one.
