NEWARK, N.J. (September 14, 2016) – The Rutgers University-Newark women's soccer team earned a hard-fought scoreless draw against Widener University Wednesday night on Alumni Field.
 
Rutgers-Newark moves to 1-4-1 on the season, while Widener gets to 2-1-2.
 
The game was a tough one from the start with both offenses struggling to create quality scoring chances as the two back lines did a nice job.
 
R-N had the better run of play for the first 70 or so minutes of action with Widener asserting itself late, but the game was played largely in the middle of the field.
 
Marathoners: Rutgers-Newark has gone to double overtime in two of its last three matches, going 0-1-1 in those contests.
 
Widener had a slight 16-11 margin in shots, a 7-5 edge in shots on goal and each team took two corners.
 
Rutgers-Newark had the first chance of the game when sophomore Juliana Ceballos took a shot from the top of the box that clanged off the cross bar 3:30 into the match. The Scarlet Raiders had the better run of play, possession and field position throughout the first half, getting solid contributions from the entire field but struggling to find the back of the net.
 
Junior Sabrina Solorzano, junior Nicole Gomez, senior Raquel DaCosta, senior Victoria Benet, junior Angelika Barris and others all played well, connecting passes and finding open space on many occasions.
 
Late in the half, R-N did a nice job locking the Pride in the zone, eventually freeing freshman Shayna Bohus for a solid chance, and moments later a Ceballos shot sailed high.
 
Rutgers-Newark ended the first half with a 6-4 edge in shots, and neither team took a corner kick in the opening 45 minutes of action.
 
Junior Haley Savva took the first solid shot of the second half for either team 16 minutes in, and moments later Bohus took a rip after a corner that sailed just high.
 
A Gomez corner popped in the air looking destined for the goal around the 15-minute mark, but Widener goalie Jenna Keating knocked it out to keep the game scoreless. The Pride countered, and sophomore Alyssa Dionisio's shot caromed off a defender and Scarlet Raider goalkeeper Diana Carvalho made a diving save.
 
Carvalho made three excellent saves in the final 3:50 of regulation as Widener turned up the pressure with several corners and shots, and the two teams went into extra time.
 
In the 20 minutes of overtime, neither side was able to create many strong looks, and the match ended in a draw.
 
The shutout was the first of the season for Carvalho who made seven saves. Keating made five stops for Widener.
 
Rutgers-Newark will return to action Saturday morning on Alumni Field against Rutgers University-Camden in the New Jersey Athletic Conference opener for both schools.