After a regular season full of ups and downs, Rutgers men’s soccer will travel to University Park to take on Penn State in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten tournament. The Nittany Lions are the favorites after winning nine games in the regular season compared to Rutgers five. However, this matchup should provide plenty of fireworks as Rutgers looks to pull off an upset.
During the 2023 campaign, these two programs faced each other once, with Rutgers recording a 2-1 win. Matthew Acosta and Ola Maeland provided the scoring, while Ciaran Dalton made three saves. It was one of three conference wins for Rutgers.
The stage is set.
No. 7 Rutgers will travel to No. 2 Penn State for the Big Ten Tournament Quarterfinals on Friday, Nov. 3 ⚽️#GoRU | #RUMS pic.twitter.com/ADa03ujYzg
— Rutgers Men’s Soccer (@RUMensSoccer) October 29, 2023
While Rutgers spoiled Penn State’s visit to Piscataway, they have a tough test ahead. The Nittany Lions won three of their last five games. During the 2023 campaign, the Scarlet Knights struggled away from Piscataway and posted a 1-6-1 record.
To beat Penn State for the second time this year, Matthew Acosta and Jackson Temple must be at their best. The Rutgers duo scored nine combined goals and recorded 25 points during the regular season.
Fans for both teams can mark their calendars for 6 p.m. on Friday for the fun to begin. So far this year, Penn State is 7-2-1 at home.