Rutgers men's lacrosse is set to hit the field again this Tuesday in their only midweek matchup of the season, facing off against LIU at 3 pm. The Scarlet Knights come in with a 3-1 record, while LIU is undefeated at 3-0. Fans can catch the action live on B1G+ with commentary from Dom Savino and Rick Mercurio.
Rutgers has kicked off the season strong, boasting a 3-1 record with two consecutive wins under their belt. Their victories include a home win against Villanova (8-7 at SHI Stadium), a road win over Stony Brook, and a neutral site triumph against Jacksonville in overtime down in Naples, Florida.
Their only setback came against No. 12 Army in a game shifted indoors to the Busch Practice Bubble.
This clash with LIU marks their first repeat location of the season.
The Scarlet Knights' recent victory over Villanova was a milestone, marking their first win against the Wildcats since 1997. The 8-7 triumph was also a personal achievement for head coach Brian Brecht, marking his 175th collegiate win and 110th with Rutgers. In that game, Rutgers led 7-6 at halftime, with defenses dominating the second half to secure the win.
Standout performances included Greyson Vorgang, who notched four goals and an assist, reaching a career-high in both goals and points. The redshirt sophomore, who scored four goals in 11 games last season, matched that output in a single game and has racked up nine goals over the last three contests.
In goal, Cardin Stoller was a wall, making 14 saves, collecting five ground balls, and allowing just one goal in the final 42 minutes. Connor Udovich anchored the defense with three caused turnovers.
Turning to LIU, the Sharks were projected to finish second in the NEC Preseason Poll, snagging two of the eight first-place votes under head coach Jordan Levine, now in his fourth year. LIU brings back five all-conference players, including First Team All-NEC pick Aidan Zuhoski, who netted 23 goals last year. Cameron Connolly, Tyler Davide, Ryan Fountain, and Ben McIsaac also earned Second Team All-NEC honors.
LIU's perfect start includes wins over Mount St. Mary's (14-12), Monmouth (9-8), and Iona (16-10).
Ben McIsaac shined with six points against Iona (3 goals, 3 assists) and leads the team with seven goals and 10 points this season. Goalkeeper Tyler Gresh has been solid with a .559 save percentage.
Last year, LIU posted a 9-5 overall record, going 4-3 in the NEC, but fell in the NEC Semifinals in overtime to Robert Morris.
Historically, Rutgers has dominated their meetings with LIU, winning both previous encounters by an average of 10.5 goals. Last season, the Scarlet Knights opened their home campaign with a commanding 17-3 victory, featuring 12 different goal scorers. This included contributions from current players JJ Aiello, Kasey Mongillo, and Bennett Raphalian.
In 2022, Rutgers kicked off the season with a 15-6 win over the Sharks, highlighted by Mitch Bartolo's five-goal performance. That game saw them put 15 goals past then-LIU goalkeeper Will Mark, who later earned All-American honors at Syracuse and became a PLL goalkeeper.
Looking ahead, Rutgers will wrap up their three-game homestand on Saturday against Hofstra. The event is also youth lacrosse day, offering free entry to kids in jerseys and featuring helmet sticker and schedule poster giveaways.