The NASCAR offense went green Sunday. Rutgers run-and-gun offense, it turns out, is just as explosive on grass as it is on turf. And the people of New Jersey loved it.
Ross Scott scored eight goals, one shy of an NCAA tournament single-game record, to lead the sixth-seeded Scarlet Knights to a 19-9 win over visiting Harvard at Yurcak Field — a 5,000-seat soccer stadium that was over capacity with an announced crowd of 5,212. The game was held there because of the university’s graduation ceremony that took place earlier in the day at SHI Stadium. Rutgers had not played there since 2013.
“May lacrosse. Great weather. Grass field. To have all the New Jersey lacrosse fans come out, it was electric today,” coach Brian Brecht said afterward on ESPNU. “It’s a quick hour-and-a-half bus trip to Hofstra. Looking forward to seeing them on Long Island next weekend.”
Indeed, the Scarlet Knights are headed back to the NCAA quarterfinals. They’ll play third-seeded Penn at Hofstra on Saturday.
Rutgers (14-3) jumped out to a 6-1 lead in the opening 17 minutes. Harvard clawed back and the Scarlet Knights lead had shrunk to 7-5 by halftime. But Rutgers roared back with three goals in the first four minutes of the second half and never let up.
Goalie Colin Kirst made 17 saves in the win. Playing at Yurcak Field was nostalgic, he said.
“I love playing on the grass,” Kirst said on ESPNU. “It brings back the high school days playing at the Cak with Seton Hall Prep (N.J.). This stadium is unreal — a lot of history here.”
Scott’s eight goals came on 8-of-11 shooting, Mitch Bartolo added three goals and three assists. Faceoff specialist Jonathan Dugenio had one of his best games of the season, going 16-for-24.