Pirates Prepare for Garden State Clash Against Rutgers

SOUTH ORANGE, N.J. – Ahead of the holiday weekend, the Seton Hall men's soccer team (1-1-1) will travel down the Garden State Parkway to Piscataway, New Jersey, to face the Rutgers Scarlet Knights (1-1-1) on Friday, September 4, in the newest edition of the historic rivalry between the two programs.

Match time is scheduled for 7 p.m. and will be broadcast live on BigTen+.

LAST TIME OUT

• The Pirates opened their 2026 home slate at Owen T. Carroll Field on Friday, August 28, against the Iona Gaels.
• Seton Hall struggled in the opening stages of the first half, but began to find their way as the half went on. While many explosive chances fell short, the Pirates earned a penalty kick in the final minutes of the opening half and looked to take the lead. Unfortunately, The Hall couldn't convert the chance into a goal after the ball rattled off the crossbar. Both sides chased the ball in the second half, but neither side could break the stalemate, ending the match in a scoreless draw.

SCOUTING RUTGERS

• Rutgers head into this year's clash with a 1-1-1 record after defeating Sacred Heart 4-1 last week.
• Atop the scoring charts for the Scarlet Knights is senior forward Andrew Kitch. The Medford native has tallied two goals and one assist across 180 minutes in the opening three games.
• In goal for Rutgers is graduate transfer netminder Rafael Ponce de Leon. The Northwestern transfer has recorded a 1.00 GAA through three games this season, improving on his 1.01 GAA from last season with the Wildcats.

SERIES HISTORY

• The Pirates are 16-36-6 all-time against the Scarlet Knights, with the first matchup coming in 1928.
  • Rutgers and Stevens are the only two programs from the Pirates' first season in 1928 that still exist.
• The last meeting between the two programs came last season in a back-and-forth duel in South Orange that ended in a 2-2 draw.

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Armstrong, Kauschke Shine in 1-0 Win Over Rutgers in Garden State Derby​

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PISCATAWAY, N.J. – With a stellar goalkeeping performance and penalty kick conversion, the Seton Hall men's soccer team (2-1-1) downed the Rutgers Scarlet Knights (1-2-1), 1-0, in a physical, foul-filled battle at Yurack Field in this year's Garden State Derby.

The two sides battled to a halftime stalemate, reaching the midpoint with three shots and two saves each. Mere minutes into the second half, the Pirates drew a penalty kick and looked to take the lead. In an act of redemption for his first career miss last weekend, Til Kauschke drilled the ball into the bottom right corner to give Seton Hall a 1-0 lead. As the half wore on and the tension rocketed up, the Pirates' defense stepped up when it was needed most. Amid a flurry of shots in the final ten minutes, goalkeeper Devin Armstrong made two key saves to preserve The Hall's second win of the season.

With the win, the Pirates move to 2-1-1 on the season.

HOW IT HAPPENED
With two Pirates making their first starts in the Garden State Derby, The Hall looked to put Rutgers off its game early on. However, both sides would not spend much time on their feet, as the New Jersey rivals battered each other, committing 15 first-half fouls. When each side eventually found their chances in the opening 45 minutes, their respective goalkeepers and defenses were there to quell them. Despite multiple calls for a penalty in the latter stages of the opening half, the Pirates did not receive any chances after VAR checks. As a result, the two sides entered halftime locked in a 0-0 draw, each with three shots and two saves.

Out of the break, the Pirates' offense turned up the heat on the Scarlet Knights. After multiple attempts to break them down, Rutgers' defense finally cracked in the 48th minute. After fouling a driving Nico Rubio in the box, the Pirates earned their second penalty kick in as many games. After missing the potential game-winning PK last week against Iona, Til Kauschke returned to the penalty spot looking for redemption. After a brief hesitation, Kauschke sent the keeper the wrong way and drilled the ball into the bottom right corner, handing the Pirates a 1-0 lead.



Now chasing the game, the Scarlet Knights made five lineup changes to pressure the Pirates' tired legs. As yellow cards began to become an issue for the Pirates, the first wave of second-half reinforcements arrived for The Hall. Yet, Rutgers put immediate pressure on the Pirates' defense, landing a shot on goal that forced a save from goalie Devin Armstrong.

As the pressure continued to mount on the graduate student netminder and his defense, both were called into action in the final 15 minutes. In one of the most dangerous moments of the night, the Pirates faced down the Scarlet Knights' attack in a packed box in the 79th minute. The Hall stood its ground, blocking all three shots cleanly, allowing Armstrong a momentary respite. That respite expired in the dying minutes when, in the 85th and 86th minutes, Armstrong made multiple leaping saves, sending the ball over the crossbar to preserve the lead. It would all pay off in the end, however, as the Pirates claimed the 1-0 victory in the New Jersey Derby after staving off the Scarlet Knights' final attack.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Kauschke logged his first goal of the season
  • With his fifth career PK goal, Kauschke moves into a tie with Michael Magarinos for the third-most PK goals in program history.
• Armstrong logged his second clean sheet of the season.
  • He also notched at least five saves for the fourth time this season.
• Seton Hall was outshot by Rutgers 14-to-9.
• The two sides combined for ten yellow cards and 29 fouls.

NEWS & NOTES

• With the win, Seton Hall moves to 2-1-1.
• The Hall is now 17-36-6 all-time against the Scarlet Knights.
  • The Pirates are now 2-0-1 against Rutgers since the yearly meetings resumed in 2024.

UP NEXT
The Pirates will return to Owen T. Carroll Field on Tuesday, September 8, when they play host to the Lehigh Mountain Hawks. Opening kick is scheduled for 7 p.m. with the match being broadcast on ESPN+.