Friday, September 19
Evanston, Ill.
6:30 p.m. CT
Northwestern
vs
Rutgers
Photo by: Mary Grace Grabill/Northwestern Athletics
Northwestern Returns Home Friday To Host Rutgers
9/18/2025 10:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
‘Cats have won back-to-back matchups against Scarlet Knights
EVANSTON, Ill. (September 18, 2025) – Northwestern men's soccer (4-2-1, 0-1-0 B1G) begins a stretch that sees it play four of its next five games at home on Friday evening when it entertains Rutgers. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. CT at Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium.
LAST TIME OUT
The Wildcats are coming off a split in a two-game road swing through Southern California. After dropping a 1-0 decision to UCLA last Friday in its Big Ten Conference opener, Northwestern roared back from a two-goal halftime deficit to defeat UC Riverside, 3-2, on Monday afternoon. Tyler Glassberg, Nigel Prince, and Joe Suchecki accounted for the Wildcats' goals, with Suchecki's 88th minute penalty kick serving as the game-winner.
SCOUTING RUTGERS
Rutgers (4-1-1, 1-0 B1G) bounced back from its first defeat of the season, a 3-1 setback to Princeton, by dispatching Penn State, 1-0, in its Big Ten opener last Friday at Yurcak Field in Piscataway, N.J.
The Scarlet Knights' attack has been led in the season's early weeks by Joschi Schelb. Schelb, who made his way to Rutgers from Saint Francis (PA), has piled up a Big Ten-best six goals, a mark that ranks third nationally. The dynamic midfielder put up a hat trick in a 4-1 rout of William & Mary on September 1.
Head coach Jim McElderry's team boasts a wealth of scoring threats, with six other players having joined Schelb in the scoring column in 2025. Dan Karsten, who has two goals to his name, and Nick Collins have each dished out a pair of assists.
Ciaran Dalton has been a fixture in goal for Rutgers over the past three-plus seasons, starting in all of his 50 career appearances. Fresh off making a pair of stops against the Nittany Lions en route to his second shutout of the season, Dalton sports a 1.17 goals against average and a .720 save percentage. For his efforts against Penn State, Dalton was recognized as the Big Ten Goalkeeper of the Week.
SERIES STUFF
Friday's Big Ten home opener will serve as the 14th all-time meeting between Northwestern and Rutgers. Winners of back-to-back matchups against the Scarlet Knights, the 'Cats hold a 7-6 (.538) lead in the series.
Northwestern owns a slim 3-2 (.600) edge in the five previous meetings at Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium. In Rutgers' last visit to the shores of Lake Michigan, the Wildcats prevailed by a 2-0 final on October 8, 2023 behind goals from Ugo Achara Jr. and Jayvin Van Deventer.
Tallies from Prince and Akinjide Awujo saw Northwestern win in come-from-behind fashion last season at Yurcak Field, as the 'Cats earned a hard-fought 2-1 victory on October 11, 2024. The win was Northwestern's first on the road over the Scarlet Knights since 2016.
UP NEXT
Northwestern heads back out on the road next week for a matchup with Maryland on Friday, September 26. Kickoff from Ludwig Field in College Park, Md. is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT.
LAST TIME OUT
The Wildcats are coming off a split in a two-game road swing through Southern California. After dropping a 1-0 decision to UCLA last Friday in its Big Ten Conference opener, Northwestern roared back from a two-goal halftime deficit to defeat UC Riverside, 3-2, on Monday afternoon. Tyler Glassberg, Nigel Prince, and Joe Suchecki accounted for the Wildcats' goals, with Suchecki's 88th minute penalty kick serving as the game-winner.
SCOUTING RUTGERS
Rutgers (4-1-1, 1-0 B1G) bounced back from its first defeat of the season, a 3-1 setback to Princeton, by dispatching Penn State, 1-0, in its Big Ten opener last Friday at Yurcak Field in Piscataway, N.J.
The Scarlet Knights' attack has been led in the season's early weeks by Joschi Schelb. Schelb, who made his way to Rutgers from Saint Francis (PA), has piled up a Big Ten-best six goals, a mark that ranks third nationally. The dynamic midfielder put up a hat trick in a 4-1 rout of William & Mary on September 1.
Head coach Jim McElderry's team boasts a wealth of scoring threats, with six other players having joined Schelb in the scoring column in 2025. Dan Karsten, who has two goals to his name, and Nick Collins have each dished out a pair of assists.
Ciaran Dalton has been a fixture in goal for Rutgers over the past three-plus seasons, starting in all of his 50 career appearances. Fresh off making a pair of stops against the Nittany Lions en route to his second shutout of the season, Dalton sports a 1.17 goals against average and a .720 save percentage. For his efforts against Penn State, Dalton was recognized as the Big Ten Goalkeeper of the Week.
SERIES STUFF
Friday's Big Ten home opener will serve as the 14th all-time meeting between Northwestern and Rutgers. Winners of back-to-back matchups against the Scarlet Knights, the 'Cats hold a 7-6 (.538) lead in the series.
Northwestern owns a slim 3-2 (.600) edge in the five previous meetings at Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium. In Rutgers' last visit to the shores of Lake Michigan, the Wildcats prevailed by a 2-0 final on October 8, 2023 behind goals from Ugo Achara Jr. and Jayvin Van Deventer.
Tallies from Prince and Akinjide Awujo saw Northwestern win in come-from-behind fashion last season at Yurcak Field, as the 'Cats earned a hard-fought 2-1 victory on October 11, 2024. The win was Northwestern's first on the road over the Scarlet Knights since 2016.
UP NEXT
Northwestern heads back out on the road next week for a matchup with Maryland on Friday, September 26. Kickoff from Ludwig Field in College Park, Md. is scheduled for 6 p.m. CT.
Players Mentioned
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