Rutgers Scarlet Knights Women's Lacrosse Light Up SHI Stadium in Rout of Monmouth

Rutgers Women's Lacrosse overwhelms Monmouth with relentless attack

Rutgers women's lacrosse (2-1) defeated Monmouth (3-1), 20-5, on Wednesday night at SHI Stadium. The Scarlet Knights outscored the Hawks, 13-3, in the first half and used a 33-18 shot advantage to secure their second win of the season. | Rutgers Athletics

As the lights beamed down on SHI Stadium this Wednesday night, the Rutgers Scarlet Knights delivered a performance that was just as brilliant as the stadium marquee. In a masterful display of offensive firepower and defensive grit, Rutgers moved to 2-1 on the season. How did they do that?

Well, they did it just by dismantling the Monmouth Hawks 20-5 in a rout. Especially that rewrote the history books of this in-state rivalry.

Rutgers Scarlet Knights Women's Lacrosse Shine Bright Under the Lights

The victory marked Rutgers’ fifth consecutive win over Monmouth, but it was the nature of the win that truly stood out. The 15-goal margin represents the largest victory in the 22-game history between the two programs. Even more impressive, the 20 goals scored were the most the Scarlet Knights have netted in a single contest since their 2024 season opener against Manhattan.

Wednesday Night VICTORY!#BxB 🧱 | #GoRU pic.twitter.com/85gBvZts9s

— Rutgers Women's Lacrosse (@rutgers_wlax) February 19, 2026

What made Rutgers so difficult to defend was its unpredictability. The Scarlet Knights outshot the Hawks 33-18 and turned those opportunities into a relentless scoring wave. In total, 13 different players recorded at least one point. That kind of balance makes game planning almost impossible.

Senior Lily Dixon orchestrated the attack with precision. She dished out a career-high six assists and added one goal for a seven-point night that controlled the rhythm from start to finish. Sophomore Delainey Sutley matched the energy with a career-high four goals. It included a highlight-reel behind-the-back cleanup finish during the opening surge that brought the crowd to life.

Sophomore Caroline Ling secured a hat trick and helped bury the Hawks early. Payton Tini, Samantha Swanovich, Hilary Elsner, and rookie Annalise Messina each added two goals. They just showcased just how deep this Rutgers roster runs.

The game was effectively decided in the first 10 minutes. Rutgers stormed out to a 7-0 lead that felt like a tidal wave. It began with Sutley’s acrobatic behind-the-back finish at the 11:49 mark to make it 4-0. The energy never dipped.

Messina and Kate Theofield followed with back-to-back goals that pushed the advantage even further. When Ling scored on a player-up opportunity with 4:34 left in the first quarter, Rutgers already had a touchdown-sized cushion. Monmouth eventually broke through to make it 7-1. However, by then the tone was firmly established. Rutgers was faster, sharper, and fully in control.

The second quarter brought more of the same. The Scarlet Knights outscored the Hawks 6-2 in the period, including a free-position goal by Samantha Swanovich that pushed the score into double digits. By halftime, Rutgers held a commanding 13-3 lead and had allowed just eight total shots in the first half.

The Knockout Punch Milestone Moments

While the offense dazzled, the Rutgers defense quietly squeezed the life out of the game. The Scarlet Knights forced 15 turnovers and never allowed Monmouth to build any sustained momentum.

Sophomore Maddie Miceli anchored the back end with a game-high three caused turnovers and four ground balls. Charlee Thomas and redshirt freshman Nora Maione both forced multiple turnovers, keeping pressure on every possession. Thomas also controlled the center circle, recording a career-high five draw controls and helping Rutgers secure a 15-11 edge in draw opportunities.

The night also featured a milestone moment. Senior Katie Buck recorded three draw controls, moving her into ninth place on Rutgers’ all-time list with 116 career draw controls. In doing so, she surpassed former standouts Alana Navaroli and Jenny Vlahos.

Rutgers came out of halftime with no intention of slowing down. The Scarlet Knights held Monmouth scoreless in the third quarter while piling on five more goals. The highlight of the period came when Lily Dixon’s sixth and final assist connected with senior Kayleigh Coughlin. They stretched the lead to 18-3 entering the fourth quarter.

The final frame allowed Rutgers to showcase its depth once again. Sophomore Francesca Urtis recorded a two-point quarter, assisting rookie Stella D’Ambro before scoring herself off a pass from Theofield. The final whistle sounded with Rutgers firmly in control at 20-5.

Now sitting at 2-1, Rutgers carries significant momentum into a two-game road stint. The first stop is Philadelphia, where the Scarlet Knights will face Villanova on February 21 in a noon matchup that will stream on ESPN+. After lighting up SHI Stadium in record-setting fashion, Rutgers has shown exactly what it is capable of when offense and defense click in unison.

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