JERSEY CITY, N.J. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | In each of the first two seasons under head women's soccer coach Anthony Tuesta, his Gothic Knights were alive in the New Jersey Athletic Conference tournament race in the final week of the season. After being eliminated on the final day of the regular season in 2017, Tuesta's team has one goal as it begins the 2018 campaign—take that next step in the progression of the program and qualify for the NJAC Tournament.
 
Tuesta, entering his third season at the helm, has continued to build the program with another large roster of 28 women eager to compete as the club takes the field for season No. 26 of intercollegiate women's soccer with a 16-game slate of games.
 
"Technically, we have improved tremendously," noted Tuesta. "We need to keep working hard, as we've done throughout this year's preseason, and stay together as a team."
 
"We have a great number of incoming freshmen and transfers who will help support the team."  
 
Tuesta has added 16 newcomers to bolster a roster of 12 returning letterwinners, including four freshmen goalkeepers—the largest group of keepers in program history.
 
In two short seasons, junior center midfielder Mallensy Vargas (North Bergen, NJ/Memorial) has already secured her spot as one of the elite players in the history of the program. The two-time All-NJAC performer, a First-Team selection as a sophomore, when she also earned First-Team All-ECAC accolades, enters her junior year on the pitch with 60 points—27 goals and six assists—in only 30 career games. One of three co-captains of the squad, Vargas will help lead the program while continuing to etch her name in the record books. Tuesta noted that Vargas has matured as a player and is ready for the leadership role.
 
Senior back Daniela Betancourt (Secaucus, NJ/Memorial) and senior back/midfielder Nina Carbonaro (Middlesex, NJ/Middlesex) will also serve as co-captains. Betancourt started all 16 games last year and played in 46 games (44 starts) over the course of her three seasons. Carbonaro, who will team again with twin sister Gina Carbonaro (Middlesex, NJ/Middlesex), started 15 times a year ago after joining the program as a transfer from Keystone.
 
Meanwhile, senior midfielder Karen Tuesta (Clifton, NJ/Clifton), the younger sister of Anthony, plays her third and final year for her brother at NJCU. It's a bittersweet fact not lost on her head coach. The younger Tuesta has played 29 games in the last two years, starting 19 times.
 
"Having my sister play for me has been the best experience I could ever ask for. Karen has been a tremendous help to this program. What makes me the happiest is she enjoyed playing for the NJCU women's soccer program."
 
In 2017, Vargas was responsible for a bulk of the offensive production for the Knights, notching 14 goals of the squad's 25 goals. She ranked 28th in the nation in goals per game (1.00) and 38th in points per game (2.21). Returning senior midfielder Katherin Merino (Harrison, NJ/Harrison) added four more tallies and has chalked up 13 goals (30 points) in 46 career games. No other returning player scored more than once. NJCU will seek production from others to take another step forward in 2018.
 
Rosa Bonilla (Roselle Park, NJ/Roselle Park), a transfer from Union County College, is a presence physically and will give the Gothic Knights another athletic goal scorer. Sophomore forwards Aracelli Carranza (North Bergen, NJ/North Bergen) and Sylwia Lubczenko (Bayonne, NJ/Bayonne) are also expected to contribute; Lubczenko returns to the team after missing the 2017 season.
 
Meanwhile, Tuesta believes freshman midfielder Jhetsy Lopez (Fairview, NJ/Cliffside Park) will make an immediate impact on the team, joining Vargas as top playmakers. Sophomore midfielder Crystal Tepale (Passaic. NJ/Passaic County Tech) is expected to take a larger role in this area. Freshman back Laura Ford (Leonia, NJ/Leonia) and Vargas will take a majority of the corner kicks.
 
View the 2018 Roster: http://njcugothicknights.com/roster.aspx?path=wsoccer
 

 
GOALKEEPERS:
A past weakness of the program has been lack of depth at the goalkeeper position. NJCU has not had a true backup keeper since 2014 and never more than one reserve.
 
That weakness is now a strength with four young keepers joining the team this year. Cidney Lee-Sam (Matawan, NJ/Old Bridge), a potential multi-sport athlete at NJCU, is the likely starter with Sheyla Salazar (Guttenberg, NJ/North Bergen) the backup. Cindy Espinal (Clifton, NJ/Clifton) and Mariana Amaro (Paterson, NJ/John F. Kennedy STEM) will also compete for time inside the six.
 
BACKS:
Two captains and two newcomers are expected to make up the starting four for NJCU. Nina Carbonaro (Middlesex, NJ/Middlesex) will join senior Dana-Marie Laloo (Teaneck, NJ/Teaneck), a transfer from Division II Felician, as starters at center back. Laloo will also bowl for the Gothic Knights.
 
Betancourt will start at right back and don't expect her to come off the field. She played a full 90 minutes in 14 of 16 games last year and logged 1,398 of a possible 1,445 minutes as a junior. Ford, a versatile four-year varsity player at Leonia High School, where she scored 25 times (12 assists), will be the left back.
 
Key reserves on defense will be sophomore Tiffany Depaiva (Union, NJ/Union) and junior transfer Lesly Cano (Plainfield, NJ/Plainfield). Sophomore Alexis Castaneda (Kearny, NJ/Kearny) and freshman Mia Crimaldi (Bayonne, NJ/Bayonne) will also vie for time in the back.
 

MIDFIELDERS:
NJCU will run a four-midfielder system with Vargas controlling the middle of the field. Tepale will attack in front of the 2016 NJAC co-Rookie of the Year. Gina Carbonaro (Middlesex, NJ/Middlesex) and Karen Tuesta (Clifton, NJ/Clifton) will start on the left and right wings, respectively. Lopez will also be in the starting mix.
 
Merino will see a lot of action at center mid. Junior Karina Torres (North Bergen, NJ/North Bergen) will be the first option at left mid while freshmen Jeanine Moseti (Jersey City, NJ/Snyder) and Kathy Gutierrez (Jersey City, NJ/McNair Academic) will compete for time at right mid. Other options in the midfield include freshmen Amy Soto (Cliffside Park, NJ/Cliffside Park) and Anelysa Heredia (Trenton, NJ/Trenton Central).
 
FORWARDS:
Bonilla and Carranza will get the nod at forward with Lubczenko also in consideration. Freshmen Brianna Ulloa (Belleville, NJ/Belleville) and Cania Williams (Hillside, NJ/Hillside) give NJCU depth up top.
 
ASSISTANT COACHES:
New Jersey State Trooper Katie Feehan, the only women's soccer player in the NJCU Athletics Hall of Fame, returns for year No. 11 as the longest-serving assistant coach at the University—spanning the tenure of three head coaches. Giovanny Hurtado is back for his fourth season on the sidelines. Meanwhile, Mike Coughlin, who coached with the men's program for four years before leaving for a Division I position at Army, returns to New Jersey as goalkeepers coach for the Knights.
 
Carlyle Myrie is in his second season as an assistant coach while Dennis Ulloa joins the program for the first time. Lexi Mescavage, one of four women to complete their eligibility last season for Tuesta, rejoins the program as a graduate assistant coach.
 
THE SCHEDULE:
NJCU plays 16 games this year, with nine at home at the Robert L. McNulty Memorial Soccer Field. The first three games of the season, including the opener on Friday, August 31 versus FDU-Florham, are at home, and six of the first seven games take place in Jersey City. The first road game is September 10 (at York).
 
NJAC play begins on Saturday, September 15 in a 3 p.m. game against Ramapo College on Alumni Weekend. The first road conference game is September 22 at William Paterson.
 
Four of NJCU's nine conference games are at home—Ramapo, Kean (September 26), Montclair State (October 10) and TCNJ (October 13); the Lions are coming off a national semifinal appearance last year and the October 13 game will serve as Senior Day.
 
The Knights meet William Paterson, Rutgers-Camden (September 29), Rowan (October 6), Stockton (October 20) and Rutgers-Newark (October 24) on the road.
 
NJCU will not play in a regular season tournament this season but has seven non-conference games on its calendar. In addition to FDU-Florham, NJCU plays non-conference home action with CCNY (September 2), John Jay (September 5), Cedar Crest (September 12) and Lehman (September 17). It has two road non-conference games with York (September 10) and Medgar Evers (October 22).
 
The regular season concludes on October 24 and the final three games of the season are on the road. October 27 marks the opening round of the NJAC Tournament with the top six teams in the league standings qualifying.
 
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