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NEWARK, N.J. (August 30, 2018) – The 19th-ranked Rutgers University-Newark men's soccer program is set for its 2018 campaign with the season-opener coming Friday in San Antonio against 17th-ranked Trinity University (Texas) at 8 p.m.
 
The Scarlet Raiders have a tough slate this fall as they look to build off back-to-back stellar campaigns. Under the stewardship of Head Coach Kevin East, heading into his 12th season, R-N has racked up an incredible 41 victories over the last two years. East's side made the NCAA Tournament both seasons, including a run to the 'Elite Eight' in 2016, and the program's first-ever New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Tournament Championship in 2017.
 
BY THE NUMBERS 2016-2017

• -83.6% winning percentage (41-7-1 including postseason)
• -88.9% winning percentage in NJAC play (16-2)
• -66.7% winning percentage in NCAA Tournament (4-2)
• -Outscored opponents 110-23 ( 87 goal differential)
• -28 shutouts
• -14 NJAC All-Conference Honors
• -9 USC (formerly NSCAA) All-Region Honors
• -2 All-America honors

Rutgers-Newark features a young roster with just seven upperclassmen out of the 29 student-athletes ready to compete this fall.
 
Leading a quartet of seniors, Brandon Goldy will anchor the Raider defense after starting every match for a side that conceded only 11 times in 2017. Goldy – a 2017 All-NJAC selection – will be joined by junior Bryan Rodrigues, who appeared in 22 contests while starting 12, in addition to a pair of much improved sophomores Andrew Andrach and Alec Viruet.
 
Returners junior Jose Barillas and sophomore Kevin Ocampo will look to make a positive impact on the back line as they fight for playing time alongside a quintet of freshmen including Joe Alba, Ilya Udalov, Davi Alves, Malik Mathes, and Amer Hot.
 
That backline will be playing in front of rookie keeper Christian Andrach as junior Andres Medina works his way back into match shape after an injury in the offseason. Meanwhile, sophomore Klaivert Chuquirima and freshman Nicholas Linebaugh will be competing for playing time and pushing Andrach in practice.
 
A crowded midfield will feature a mix of returners and newcomers as the starting XI solidifies headed into the start of the season.
 
Senior Breno Lustosa leads the returners after appearing in 23 contests and starting 22 in 2017. Lustosa chipped in four assists and a goal for six points last fall as he looks to make an even larger impact this year. Lustosa is one of the top midfielders in the nation and has played that way since transferring to Rutgers-Newark as a sophomore.
 
A pair of sophomores, Lucas Moraes and Joshua Breton-Jones, will also look to make their mark in the middle of the pitch and are slated for increased playing time as both players have shown significant improvement during preseason. Each midfielder played in 16 games last season while Breton-Jones recorded an assist for his first career collegiate point.
 
The midfield will be bolstered by the addition of rookies Pape Taha and Anthony Oliveira who have impressed in preseason and will have many opportunities to get on the field.
 
A trio of returners featuring senior Victor Navas Jr., sophomore Kelvin Opoku, and sophomore Adonis Scotland will be fighting for playing time alongside freshmen Ahmed Moawad, Brandon Parada, and George Angelides.
 
Up top, Rutgers-Newark is led by senior Stefano Muniz who competed in 23 matches and started 21 last season. Muniz racked up six scores and four helpers to earn 16 points which was good for fourth on the squad and his efforts netted him All-NJAC distinction. The veteran will look to continue that success in 2018 along with sophomore Ariel Parada and freshman Franco Catania.
 
Parada has put in a strong preseason showing and the coaching staff will look to him to add significant offensive firepower while Catania has stepped in and proven that he belongs in the mix for minutes as well.
 
Rutgers-Newark will look to continue the program's remarkable run over the last five years. The program has made four appearances in the NCAA Tournament during that span, and in the one year it did not find its way into the national field, the Scarlet Raiders won the ECAC title.
 
After returning from Texas, Rutgers-Newark will host CCNY at 5 p.m. in Newark on September 5. It will be the first of two matches at the newly named Frederick Douglass Field and fans in attendance will get a free t-shirt as part of the annual Soccer Fest celebration.

Click here for more on the 2018 Rutgers-Newark schedule!
 
The team's NJAC opener is at TCNJ on September 15, with Senior Night slated for October 20 against league rival Kean University.
 
Fans should be sure to follow @ScarletRaiders on twitter and Instagram all season long. R-N will be getting exclusive postgame interviews from players after big home wins in addition to lots of new features across all of our platforms.
 
Scarlet Raider faithful can watch the Scarlet Raiders live at home via www.rutgersnewarkathletics.com/watch or links on the Scarlet Raider homepage.