NEWARK, NJ – Juniors
Liana Abreu,
Jessica Gavilanes and
Kat Renteria – each a 2009 New Jersey Athletic Conference Honorable Mention pick – headline a group of 13 veterans who will greet first-year head coach
Bill Bustamante on Thursday for the start of preseason practice for Rutgers-Newark women’s soccer.
Bustamante, who comes to the Raiders after a two-year stint as director of operations for the Rutgers University Scarlet Knight women’s soccer program, expects nine newcomers in camp.
Picked to finish last in the NJAC race in the preseason head coaches’ poll, the Scarlet Raiders will be fighting for respect in the highly-regarded 10-team league. Rutgers-Newark posted a 2-1 upset over Richard Stockton last fall, but the team finished 1-8 in the NJAC and 6-11-1 overall.
Abreu, who already is sixth on the Rutgers-Newark career scoring list after back-to-back 25 points seasons, will spearhead the attack while her junior classmates Gavilanes and Renteria will bolster the defense.
Gavilanes is a two-time NJAC Honorable Mention sweeper who plays much bigger than her 4-foot-11 frame. She has neutralized some of the top attackers in NCAA Division III play with her anticipation and quickness while starting in every Raider match over the past two seasons.
Renteria’s two-year goal against average of 1.92 is the best goalkeeper average in the 10-year history of the Rutgers-Newark program. She has posted three shutouts in each of her season’s.
Senior captain
Angela Neves provides leadership in the midfield while senior forward
Karen Johnson should help balance the attack.
The 18-match slate begins on Alumni Field against Mount St. Vincent on September 1 with a trip to Rochester’s Flower City Tournament to follow during Labor Day weekend.