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

Friday, September 4

Piscataway, N.J.

7 p.m.

Seton Hall University

2-1-1, 0-0-0

Rutgers

1-2-1, 0-0-0

Team	1	2	Final F
Seton Hall	0	1	1
Rutgers	0	0	0

Til Kauschke converts PK and celebrates against Rutgers

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

9/5/2026 12:36:00 AM | Men's Soccer

Box Score

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 48^th 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.

COLD AS ICE, TIL KAUSCHKE 🧊😤

The junior drills the PK home to give Pirates a 1-0 lead!#HALLin🔵⚪️⚽️ | 🏴‍☠️x🇩🇪 pic.twitter.com/2cDVrIrElD
— Seton Hall Men's Soccer (@SHUMSOC) September 5, 2026

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 79^th 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 85^th and 86^th 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+.