CAMDEN, N.J. (Sept. 28, 2022) – The Rutgers University-Camden women's soccer team is rounding into a formidable force and the Scarlet Raptors took another giant step forward here Wednesday night.
 
In their finest performance of the young season, the Scarlet Raptors dominated Ramapo College in a New Jersey Athletic Conference game and came away with a 3-0 victory.
 
It was the third win in the last four games for the Scarlet Raptors, who hiked their record to 3-4-1 overall and 2-0 in NJAC play. The only loss in that span came against the second-ranked team in the country, Messiah University.
 
Rutgers-Camden put constant pressure on Ramapo throughout the night, producing a 27-9 advantage in shots and a 7-4 edge in corner kicks. Yet for all of their 13 first-half shots and opportunities to put the game away early, the Raptors produced only one first-half goal. Freshman forward Maresa Savarese drilled in a shot to the center-left of the goal at 26:08. Her second goal of the year, and first career game-winning goal, came off a perfect feed to the top of the box from sophomore Josie Jackson-Conner, who was one of the many offensive sparks on the night for the Scarlet Raptors.
 
After only capitalizing on one first-half chance, the Raptors dodged some late Ramapo chances to tie the game before halftime and early in the second half. Only 11 minutes into the second half, the Scarlet Raptors nearly added an insurance tally when a shot by the dangerous sophomore midfielder Alyson Petro hit off the crossbar. Petro, who gave the Ramapo defense trouble all night, later added the Scarlet Raptors' third goal in the 86th minute, assisted by a cross from Savarese.
 
The goal that broke Ramapo's back, however, was the second tally with a perfect combination from senior Lindsay Hernandez to sophomore Emily Owens. Hernandez took a long restart and lofted a perfect ball toward the goal mouth, where Owens ran onto the ball for a one-time shot at 66:20. It was her first goal of the season and the second assist for Hernandez.
 
While Rutgers-Camden's offense was in high gear, the defense shut down the few Ramapo attempts, sparked by a strong performance from defenders Mya Bocchicchio, Brianna Baer, Lauren Bone and Amy Maurer, and anchored by junior keeper Kayla McKeever. McKeever made four saves to earn her second shutout of the season.
 
Ramapo junior goalie Makenna Tahbaz had 15 saves in a busy night.
 
Rutgers-Camden returns to action Saturday when it hosts New Jersey City University in a 1 p.m. NJAC game.