Schedule | Roster | NJAC Preseason Poll

NEWARK, N.J. (August 31, 2017) – The Rutgers University-Newark women's soccer team kicks off its 2017 season Friday evening at 5 p.m. on Alumni Field when the Scarlet Raiders welcome the College of Mount Saint Vincent to the Brick City.
 
The Scarlet Raiders are coming off a tough 2016 season, but R-N returns an experienced nucleus and welcomes a talented group of newcomers that are hungry for a comeback season.
 
The Captains:
Leading Rutgers-Newark this season will be four veterans in goalkeeper Diana Carvalho, midfielder Angelika Barris, midfielder Nicole Gomez and forward Haley Savva.
 
Carvalho has appeared in 40 matches, totaling more than 3,000 minutes and 162 career saves, including a career-best 85 stops in 2016. The Newark native had five shutouts and 77 denials as a sophomore in 2015, and looks primed for a strong 2016. Carvalho has demonstrated excellent leadership and communication throughout the preseason, and she has also done a nice job organizing the back line in scrimmage action.
 
Barris is a defensive midfielder and is a technically sound player with great vision. She played in and started 17-of-17 matches last year, scoring once, and she will be key stopping the opponents' offense while jump-starting R-N's. Since transferring to Rutgers as a sophomore in 2015, Barris has played in 40 matches.
 
Gomez is back for her final season in Newark after an all-conference junior year. An Elmwood Park native, Gomez will be leaned on to be more of a goal scorer this season, while continuing to be one of the best facilitators and passers in the conference. In her two years as a Scarlet Raider, Gomez has totaled three goals and 10 assists, including a team-best seven helpers in 2015.
 
Savva is a leader on and off the field and has been a staple on the pitch since her freshman season, seeing time in each and every match the last two years. She has two career goals and 10 career assists, dishing out an impressive seven as a rookie and three more as a sophomore. Head Coach Ariana Ruela and the rest of the coaching staff will look to her to continue serving great balls into the box while also improving in the goal-scoring department.
 
"We are aiming to show improvement in all aspects of the game, but especially when it comes to finishing our chances. Our four captains have done a nice job setting the tone throughout preseason," said Head Coach Ariana Ruela. "We return a lot of experience, but it starts with our veteran leaders."
 
The Goalkeepers:
In addition to the senior captain in Carvalho, three others Scarlet Raiders will be pushing for time. Sophomore Heidi Paulson has been strong in camp, using her experience from last year to make improvements. She has been aggressive in the box, smart coming off the line and will be ready to go when called upon. Freshman Jasmin Erichsen has impressed as well with natural athleticism, explosiveness and solid footwork, while freshman Evelyn Rangel will be another quality option for the coaching staff.
 
The Returners:
In addition to the four captains, senior forward Sabrina Solorzano and senior back Allyson Daly will be impact players for the Scarlet Raiders.
 
Solorzano will be making the move up front for her final campaign in Newark, hoping to provide a scoring punch to an offense that struggled to find the back of the net last year. Solorzano has great speed which will cause matchup problems for opposing defenses, and she also has a lot of experience, taking the field 60 times over the last three seasons.
 
Daly will patrol the back once again for Rutgers after starting all 17 matches a year ago. A 90-minute player, Daly has improved markedly throughout her career and steps into a bigger leadership role as an experienced veteran on defense along with Carvalho and Barris.
 
Three juniors are on the roster and all three figure to play integral parts on the field. Back Melissa Chaquea has improved greatly as a player since her freshman year through hard work and a positive attitude. Chaquea has been doing everything she can to earn a starting job, and will surely see important minutes as a member of the Rutgers-Newark defense.
 
Forward Juliana Ceballos is coming off an all-conference season in which she led the Scarlet Raiders in goals and points. Ceballos is supremely talented and a truly electric player. She has a great shot and blazing speed, and she too has stepped into more of a leadership role on the field as a junior. The Elizabeth native has 10 goals and four assists in her career, and if she is able to focus and stay positive, the junior could be in store for a great year.
 
Back Sunna Baig returns after missing 2016 due to injury. She worked incredibly hard to come back ready to go, and her energy and hunger is rubbing off on her teammates. Baig should find herself in the middle of the defense early on.
 
Iné Collins headlines the sophomore class after joining the program midway through last year. Collins will be one of the team's center backs and is a very strong presence along the back line. She is a ball-winner and vocal leader, demonstrating confidence in organizing the defense throughout the preseason.
 
Sophomore Deirdre Mackin is another important second-year player for the Scarlet Raiders, but unlike her freshman campaign, Mackin will find herself at outside back in 2017. A naturally aggressive athlete, the Dumont, N.J. native has great soccer instincts, anticipating opponent passes while also knowing when to attack.
 
Samantha Richter, Shayna Bohus and Seray Kurtis are a trio of sophomore forwards fighting for opportunities. Richter has improved her foot skills, and with continued work on her shot she will find herself in the thick of things up front for the Scarlet Raiders. Bohus made 13 starts and 16 appearances as a rookie, totaling 26 shots (13 on target). A versatile player that can step into a midfield role, Bohus hopes to be a key piece of a revamped offensive attack. Kurtis played in 13 matches as a freshman, earning two starts, and she will be looking to carve out a bigger role as a sophomore. Sophomore Mayada Ahmed will also be fighting for time up top after making six appearances during her freshman season.
 
Sophomore midfielder Heather Kosinski is hoping for a breakout season, bouncing back from injury nicely to date and showing she can be a force in the middle of the field. Sophomore back Denisse Astudillo has also impressed early on, working hard, showing a great attitude and pushing her teammates. Sophomore back Kimberly Gonzales will also be working towards minutes down the line as she is coming back from injury.
 
The Newcomers:
Coach Ruela and herr staff has brought in a strong group of newcomers in addition to the young goalkeepers.
 
Freshman midfielder Ana Lucia Silveira should make an immediate impact for the Scarlet Raiders, showing great creativity early on. A player that does not look to be intimidated by the college game, Silveira should work well with Ceballos, Gomez and the rest of the Scarlet Raiders. Freshman forward Melanie Egas has impressed, displaying nice speed down the wings, coachability, a strong crossing game and work ethic. Egas will give Rutgers-Newark quality minutes from the start.
 
Freshman forward Lucy Pinto, freshman midfielder Jennifer Coronel Cruz and sophomore back Valeria Barcia will all add depth to their respective positions, as will freshmen backs Melisa Imamovic and Flora Micheludis and freshman midfielder Brianna Rodriguez – a local product out of Kearny.
 
After home matches to start the season on Friday and Sunday, Rutgers-Newark hits the road for a five-straight contests, the final being the team's NJAC opener at Rutgers University-Camden on September 16.
 
The team's first home NJAC match of the year is against Kean University on September 23, and senior night is slated for October 21 against league rival Montclair State University. The regular-season finale is at William Paterson University on October 25 and the NJAC Championship Tournament is set to begin on October 28.
 
"Our team is excited and hungry for a comeback year having learned from our previous season and putting in tremendous work in the off season," added Ruela. "With our solid foundation, it will be important that we play as a team, defend as a unit - staying organized and compact, attack as a unit - being creative and dynamic to build our chemistry early on."
 
Fans should follow @ScarletRaiders on twitter all season long for the latest on Scarlet Raider women's soccer. Fans should also follow @runwsoc on Instagram for an inside look at the Raiders on and off the field.