MAHWAH, N.J. (March 10, 2021) – The Rutgers University-Camden women's soccer team opened its delayed season in style here Wednesday afternoon, posting a 3-0 victory over Ramapo College in a New Jersey Athletic Conference game.
The opening-day victory was the first for the Scarlet Raptors since 2012, a 2-1 double-overtime win at FDU-Florham, snapping a seven-game losing streak in season openers. The three goals were the most scored by the Scarlet Raptors in a season opener since a 3-0 win over SUNY-Purchase on August 30, 2008.
Rutgers-Camden has won its last five games and six of its last seven against Ramapo. The Scarlet Raptors lead the all-time series, 13-7-2.
Rutgers-Camden, which has its normal schedule postponed from the fall semester due to the pandemic, didn't waste any time getting on the scoreboard, scoring only 3:55 into the contest. The Raptors added another goal seconds before halftime to take a 2-0 lead.
Both first-half goals started in the midfield, when junior
Lindsay Hernandez sent long balls down to the left of the box. On the Raptors' first goal of the season, sophomore
Mya Bocchicchio took the feed from Hernandez and crossed a ball into the box, where sophomore
Maggie Horn finished a shot inside the near post.
The score remained 1-0 until the last minute of the half, when sophomore
Sam Justis took a long feed from Hernandez and lifted a ball toward the far right post. Junior forward
Ava Pizzaro headed it into the net with 25 seconds remaining before halftime.
The Scarlet Raptors outshot the Roadrunners, 7-3, in the opening half, with both teams putting three shots on goal. Freshman keeper
Chloe Beasley made three saves in the opening half for the Scarlet Raptors, while Ramapo sophomore Emma Conlan had one save.
The Scarlet Raptors added their third goal on a long, high shot from outside the box by freshman
Hailey Gould. Gould's first collegiate goal sailed over the head of Conlan and under the crossbar to make it a 3-0 game at 62:33. Sophomore
Lauren Bone assisted on the goal.
Rutgers-Camden freshman
Kayla McKeever played the second half in goal, making two saves to complete the shared shutout with Beasley.
Conlan played 70:55 minutes in goal for the Roadrunners, making their lone save. Freshman Makenna Tahbaz finished the game in the Roadrunner net.
The Scarlet Raptors held a 9-6 advantage in shots, scoring on three of their four shots on goal. Rutgers-Camden also held a 5-2 advantage in corner kicks.
The Scarlet Raptors return to action Saturday with a 3:30 p.m. NJAC game at William Paterson University.
