This Week in Field Hockey: Fraticelli Bookends a Split Opening Weekend
Rutgers took zero shots in the first quarter of its season and scored on its first attempt. Three days later it put seven past Wagner. Olivia Fraticelli had a hand in the start of both.
Rutgers University's field hockey team kicked off their 2026 season with a split opening weekend, finishing 1-1. The first game against No. 18 Monmouth produced a 5-1 victory, while the second game against No. 7 Wagner ended in a 7-1 win. Olivia Fraticelli, Rutgers' star player, scored four goals in total, including a hat trick in the week, marking the team's first such performance in nearly two years.
Rutgers now prepares to host ranked No. 5 Virginia and No. 9 Syracuse in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge, facing their first two top 11 opponents in four straight games. Monmouth's early 5-1 win over Rutgers showcased their dominance, recording the first six shots of the season and taking an early lead within 114 seconds. Rutgers, however, bounced back in their matchup against Wagner, outshooting their opponents 18-5, holding a 12-2 edge on target, and securing a win through five different goal scorers.
Fraticelli led the way with three goals, including a hat trick, and provided the assist for another. The team's performance highlights a resurgence in goal-scoring, with multiple players contributing, a stark contrast to their struggles in earlier seasons. The team will face four highly-ranked opponents in the upcoming weekend's Big Ten/ACC Challenge, including No. 5 Virginia and No. 9 Syracuse.
Written by urgent.news from Yahoo Sports's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
