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2015 Results

NEWARK, N.J. (August 31, 2016) – After back-to-back record-setting seasons, the Rutgers University-Newark women's soccer program has raised the bar and will look to continue its success when it opens the 2016 campaign with back-to-back road tests at St. Lawrence University and Clarkson University Friday and Saturday.
 
Leading the Scarlet Raiders through 2016 will be a trio of seniors in tri-captains Victoria Benet, Nicole Gomez and Raquel DaCosta.
 
Benet – a back from Lyndhurst, N.J. – will play a central role on the defense and is one of the team's most experienced defenders. She played in and started 24 matches last year, helping the Raiders to seven shutouts while accumulating one goal and one assist from the back line.
 
Gomez will return to her attacking center midfield role for Newark after transferring to R-N in 2015. A technical player with great vision, Gomez led the team with seven assists last year. She made 23 starts and 24 appearances and will look to step it up this year offensively with the graduation of several of the team's top scorers.
 
DaCosta played in 19 contests last year, scoring a pair of goals and serving as a valuable player for then first-year head coach Ariana Ruela. The Hillside, N.J. native has demonstrated remarkable improvement and is competing to hold a prominent role on the Scarlet Raiders this year.
 
"Our three captains have stepped up and become great leaders for our team throughout the offseason and all preseason," said Ruela. "They set the tone early and have been relentless since to preserve the culture and standard we have created here at Rutgers Newark. We play in a challenging conference and it's a long season, but this group had a taste of what it takes to be successful at this level last year. Therefore, I am confident in their abilities on the field and in the locker room to push the team to reach its full potential and focus on the process."
 
GOALKEEPERS:
Junior Diana Carvalho and freshman Heidi Paulson will be the team's goalkeepers. Carvalho had a very strong sophomore year as the team's primary starting goalie. She made 19 starts and played more than 1,700 minutes, making 77 saves, pitching five shutouts and compiling a record of 12-6-1. The junior has also improved all aspects of her game this offseason which should lead to even better numbers. The newcomer Paulson has been impressive in preseason and will surely look to find minutes in the net for the Scarlet Raiders.
 
BACKS:
In addition to Benet – the leader of the defense – the Scarlet Raiders return a solid group along the back line in front of the Carvalho/Paulson pairing between the pipes. Junior Angelika Barris was a consistent performer for R-N in 2015 and is back in the same role this year bringing more experience to the back line, organizing them, and winning quality 1v1 battles. Barris played in 23 of the team's games, making 21 starts and dishing out one assist.
 
Junior Allyson Daly has stepped up in preseason, demonstrating strong instincts in joining the attack as well as the ability to deliver great diagonal balls into the box. Daly had an assist in limited action as a sophomore, seeing time in seven contests, but will look to increase her minutes this year and even get into the starting 11 mix.
 
Sophomore Melissa Chaquea and sophomore Cindy Guzman will both look to work their way into the rotation in their second season with the program. The pair combined for eight appearances in 2015. Additionally, sophomore Sunna Baig – who demonstrated excellent improvement – will redshirt this season due to injury with the hopes to become a major contributor in 2017.
 
5 Goalkeeper/Defense Quick Kicks:
1. Rutgers-Newark goalkeepers combined for seven shutouts in 2015 while the Scarlet Raider offense was shut out just three times.
2. R-N keepers had a save percentage of .748 in 2015
3. In 6-of-7 matches to start last season, Rutgers-Newark allowed one goal or less.
4. The Scarlet Raider defense allowed 13 goals in the first half of games.
5. Teams scored 1.48 goals per game against R-N in 2015.
 
MIDFIELDERS:
In addition to Gomez in the midfield, junior Haley Savva has continued to improve and should be an impact performer for the Scarlet Raiders in her third season with the program. Savva played in all 25 matches for Newark, making 22 starts and dishing out three assists which was good for fourth on the squad. Savva is a team eader and one of the hardest workers, setting a great example for the younger players while solidifying her own role.
 
Junior Sabrina Solorzano saw a great deal of action as an outside back in 2015, and she will be transitioning to the midfield in this fall. The Iselin, N.J. native made appearances in 25 games, earning the starting nod in 21 of them and playing a prominent role in many of the strong numbers associated with the 2015 Scarlet Raider defense.
 
FORWARDS:
The team's top returning scorer will be sophomore Juliana Ceballos who had a magnificent freshman year in Newark. Ceballos was third on the team with 16 points, putting home seven goals and handing out a pair of assists in 24 appearances (12 starts). Ceballos is arguably the team's No. 1 striker and undoubtedly has a chance to do big things for Rutgers-Newark.
 
5 OFFENSIVE QUICK KICKS:
1. Seven times in 2015 the Scarlet Raiders scored three or more goals.
2. R-N averaged nearly two goals per game (1.92).
3. Newark was plus-26 in shots on target (SOG) and plus 31 in total shot attempts a season ago.
4. The Scarlet Raiders assisted on 64.6 percent of their goals in 2015 (31-of-48).
5. Rutgers-Newark was plus-16 on corners in 2015.
 
THE NEWCOMERS:
Despite graduating a high number from the 2015 team, Ruela has brought in an extremely talented group to the fold for this season and beyond.
 
Midfielder Shayna Bohus, back Carolina Gonzalez and midfielder Deirdre Mackin highlight the first-year Raiders. Bohus is strong and comfortable on the ball, has great technical ability, and loves going to goal. Gonzalez, despite her size, has shown her true strengths in understanding the roles and responsibilities of an outside back. Mackin is a hard worker with a knowledge of when to attack and when to hang back.
 
Other newcomers looking to make an impact this year will be back Alejandra Menendez, midfielder Denisse Astudillo, forward Lindsey Snyder, back Heather Kosinski (who redshirted her freshman year due to an ACL tear), back Sabrina Ahmed, midfielder Mayada Ahmed, forward Seray Kurtis, and forward Samantha Richter.
 
"I am pleased with the progress our freshmen have shown thus far," added Ruela. "They are learning quickly and showing that they have a competitive edge to improve and adjust to the collegiate game."
 
OUTLOOK:
Ruela on season goals:
"Most importantly, we are looking to be an established program who is always breaking into the NJAC Playoffs and making some noise against quality division III programs. We are focused on the process, rather than results. How can we as a team maximize our potential, individually and collectively, during training sessions and in games to reach our goals? Doing this day in and day out will be the only way we can become successful."
  
Ruela on the NJAC:
"NJAC is one of the toughest division III conferences in women's soccer. We have to be realistic and understand the work that needs to be done in order to achieve the program's goals. As a program, we are ready to take on the challenge and remove the doubt that our program doesn't deserve to make it to the NJAC playoffs year after year and eventually contest for a title in the future."
 
SCHEDULE HIGHLIGHTS:
- After opening the season with two road matches, Rutgers-Newark will play nine of its next 10 matches on Alumni Field. They will host St. Joe's – Brooklyn on September 7 in the home-opener and the Scarlet Raider Soccer Classic on September 10 & 11.
- The team's first NJAC match of the year will be against Rutgers University-Camden on September 17 on the Alumni Field turf.
- 11-of-18 total matches are at home in 2016
- October 26 vs NJAC foe William Paterson University will be Senior Night
- The NJAC Tournament is slated to begin on October 29. The top-six teams in the conference standings make the league tournament.