Rutgers-Newark Athletics

By Jim Hague

Ever since she was a youngster and first started to play soccer, Angela Neves was strictly a midfielder. All throughout her days at Roselle Catholic High School and then her first two years of collegiate soccer at Rutgers-Newark, Neves was accustomed to trying to score goals and creating offensive chances. 

But needing help in the defensive back line this season, R-N second-year head coach Wojtek Krakowiak turned to Neves and asked if she wouldn’t mind becoming a defender. 

“I thought she would be good at marking forwards,” Krakowiak said. “She’s very skillful and aware of all the different positions and she’s the kind of player who can step in and play practically every position, but I thought she could be a defender.” 

Neves didn’t know how to handle the transition. 

“I wasn’t sure if I could play the position,” Neves said. “I was always so used to always going forward. I loved being up there, trying to score goals or making plays to help others score. Honestly, I really hated it at first. It was a totally different mindset. I had to sit back and protect the goal. It was much harder than I thought. I figured I would do my best, because it was something I had to do for the team.” 

Neves said that it helped being an offensive player her whole life, because she knew how forwards and midfielders acted and reacted. 

“It really did help me, because I know what they’re trying to do and how they do it,” Neves said. “After a while, I got the hang of it and I learned to like it. I’m still learning, but I’m trying.” 

However, Krakowiak feels that Neves has developed into a fine defender. 

“She’s playing real well and has been a huge help in the back,” Krakowiak said. “I really think she’s more comfortable at defender. She’s been doing a great job shutting down the other team’s forwards and especially against the tougher teams. She gets in good position and reads the game well. She knows how to get back on defense. In that position, you have to know the game and read the game and Angie does that on her own. It’s something she’s been taught before.” 

Krakowiak also knows that Neves is now a versatile player, having excelled at two different positions with the Scarlet Raiders. 

“She’s just a defender now, but sometimes, if we need her, she can fill in at midfield,” Krakowiak said. “With Angie, she can basically help us anywhere. She has no problem at either position. I know wherever she’s playing, she’ll do a great job. You need players like that when you have a small roster. It’s always great to have a player who can play more than one position.” 

Krakowiak said that Neves has become a leader on the team. 

“She’s very committed and comes every day to practice,” Krakowiak said. “She came in this year very fit, so I knew she did a lot of work on her own to get ready. She takes the girls to workouts on their own. She’s really becoming a leader and we need that. We need more to step in and be what Angie has been. Not everyone does that.” 

But the “leader” tag is not one that Neves is comfortable with. 

“I don’t know if the others look at me as a leader,” Neves said. “I think we’re all leaders on the team. I don’t like the name calling of being a leader. I just do whatever I can to help the others out. I would much rather just be one of the girls.” 

Neves does enjoy being part of the Scarlet Raiders’ resurgence. 

“When I first came here, I didn’t know whether things would work out,” Neves said. “It’s nothing like it is now. Now, I feel like I’m part of a family and it’s a great feeling. I know I have people here who will totally support me. I love the girls and I love the coaches. The program is definitely moving forward and I’m proud to be a part of it.” 

Neves is carrying a full workload of classes at Rutgers-Newark, as she pursues a double major in business administration and finance. She’s currently carrying 18 credits this semester while playing soccer and working part-time as a cashier. 

“Working, going to school and playing soccer is a lot,” Neves said. “I’m trying to manage it all.” 

Someday, Neves hopes to be either a chief executive officer or chief financial officer, perhaps in banking. 

“I want to go big,” she laughed. “I like numbers. I always have. Wherever numbers are, that’s where I should be.” 

However, Neves can’t get caught up in offensive statistics any longer. 

“I’m so focused now on keeping our goals against average down,” Neves said. “I don’t even worry about the other numbers anymore. I just worry about the forwards I’m marking and what number they wear.”