Women’s Soccer Begins 15th Season Against Elms Wednesday

SUFFOLK VS. ELMS - PROGRAM
Date Time Venue Video Stats Series Last Meeting   Last Suffolk Win Streak	Wednesday, Sept. 1 12:00 PM East Boston Memorial Park East Boston, Mass.  Suffolk Playsight GoSuffolkRams.com Suffolk Leads, 1-0 Sept. 1, 2019, W, 1-0 (2 OT) Same W1

BOSTON – Suffolk women's soccer lifts the lid on its 15th campaign Wednesday, Sept. 1 when it entertains Elms in a matinee at James A. Sartori Stadium at East Boston Memorial Park at 12 p.m. 

SOCIAL SAYINGS
Ram Nation has a chance to keep up with all the latest news and notes on Suffolk Athletics, its student-athletes and teams by following the Rams on  Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Fans are encouraged to use the hashtag #RamNation a behind-the-scene look at Suffolk Athletics.

SUFFOLK ATHLETICS 2021-22 FAN POLICY
Suffolk University Athletics, following guidance from the University's health and safety protocols, Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC), Centers for Disease Control and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, plans to allow fans to attend home athletic contests during the 2021-22 academic and athletic year.

Fans, whether vaccinated or unvaccinated, can attend games. They must be masked the entire time they are on campus, pursuant to institutional policy, and complete a health screening form at the security desk of each building upon arrival. This policy applies to home contests played on campus at the Ridgeway Building's Larry E. and Michael S. Smith Court, as well as the Emmons Horrigan O'Neil Memorial Rink and the Louis E. Porrazzo Memorial Skating Rink.

For outdoor outings, specifically at East Boston Memorial Park, fans are asked to respect COVID safety protocols. At this time, masks will not be mandated for fans no matter vaccinated status at outdoor venues.

MORE READING: Suffolk Athletics Announces Fan Policy for 2021-22

RAMS REWIND
There has been over 660 days since the last time Suffolk women's soccer has taken the pitch. Over that span, two pairs of senior classes have graduated and the Rams have transitioned into the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC).  

The last time the blue-and-gold competed, Suffolk compiled a 10-6-0 overall record with eight of those victories coming in shutout fashion behind the gloves of now senior Allison Rodrigues. Seven Rams – Cassandra LaBarbera, Julia Hunt, Carley Pearce, Jenna Jerahian, Jackie Kelly, Malia Evans and Rodrigues – are back from that squad that hosted the GNAC Quarterfinals.

RAMS ROOKIES
Over the longer than usual off season, head coach Ashley Van Vecthen brought in 13 Ram rookies to add depth to the Suffolk women's soccer roster for the 2021 campaign. 

The 13 fresh faces joining the Rams rank for their 15th year are 11 true freshmen, while junior Nicole Morin-Trotta brings her talents to Boston after a two-year stint at Springfield and Lucy Tretter comes to Ram Nation by way of Saint Joseph's (Maine). 

MORE READING: Women's Soccer's Roster Gets Boost from 13 Newcomers for 2021

GEOGRAPHY 101
The 2021 Rams features 29 players representing EIGHT states. There are 18 student-athletes that call Massachusetts home and three from the Bay State's neighbor to the north, New Hampshire. A pair comes from both California and Rhode Island, with Florida, Maine, New Jersey and New York represented by one Ram each. 

CLASS RANKS
Suffolk's squad is comprised of all four classes. The underclassmen lead the way with 11 true freshmen and eight sophomores to go along with six juniors. Four seniors – Julia Hunt, Jackie Kelly, Carley Pearce and Allison Rodrigues – will take the pitch for the final time in their collegiate careers as the members of the Class of 2022. 

POSITION POINTS
Position wise, 20 student-athletes are divided between defensemen (10) and midfielders (10) with eight forwards added to the mix as well. Allison Rodrigues returns to her post as the Rams' lone goalie. 

COACH'S CORNER
Ashley Van Vechten, the first-ever female and full-time head coach of Suffolk women's soccer, returns for her fourth season at Suffolk.

In just two short campaigns with the Rams, she has guided the blue-and-gold to 14 victories, eight of which were shutouts, and has seen pair student-athletes garner all-conference accolades.

Additionally, Suffolk's student-athletes have excelled off the pitch as well, with two United Soccer Coaches Team Academic Awards.

The third coach in Suffolk women's soccer history will once again be assisted by Stephen Hill, who works with the Rams' netminders.

FIRST THINGS FIRST

• Suffolk has strung together a 5-7-1 season opener record.
• In 2019, the Rams bested Elms, 1-0, in double overtime.
• The blue-and-gold needed extra time to determine a winner in its first outing of the year for the time since 2013 and third time overall.
• Suffolk is 1-1-1 when playing in OT outings in the first game of the year.
• The Rams are 1-1-0 in the season debut under Ashley Van Vechten's guidance.
• Suffolk will pull the curtain back on its campaign at its home turf for the first time since 2016. The Rams are 3-3-0 when playing day one at home.
• Suffolk will meet Elms in game one for the second straight season. The Rams are 1-0-0 against Blazers not just in the season debut, but in the all-time series.
• Suffolk will meet Elms in game one for the second straight season. The Rams are 1-0-0 against Blazers not just in the season debut, but in the all-time series.

WATCH AND SEE

PRESEASON PREDICTIONS
Suffolk women's soccer made its debut in the Commonwealth Coast Conference Preseason Poll, which determines the predictions for the upcoming season based on a vote by the conference's 10 head coaches, in the eighth slot.

MORE READING: Women's Soccer Picked Eighth in CCC Preseason Poll

BLAZERS BREAKDOWN
Two year ago, Elms put together an 11-7-3 overall record and slipped in the NECC Championship on PKs to Lesley.  

Similar to Suffolk, the Blazers are transitioning into a new league this season as the newest member as the GNAC. Head coach Sean Milbier brought back a solid group of returners including Morgan Foucault, Elaina Vilar and Kayla Pasquel. Foucalt was second on the squad in goals in 2019 with five markers to her credit to go along with one assist for 11 points. Vilar supplied four goals and two assists, while Pasquel supplied nine points divided evenly between goals (3) and helpers (3).  

That experience does trickle into the Blasers' netminder gloves, however, as Elms' triad of netminders all hail from the sophomore class and will be making their collegiate debuts this year.  

INSIDE THE SERIES

• Suffolk and Elms will meet for just the second time. 
• The Rams and Blazers first tangled in the 2019 season debut, Sept. 1, when Suffolk bested Elms, 1-0, in double overtime. 
• Suffolk is 1-0-0 all-time versus Elms behind the double OT season-opening win two year ago. 

MORE INFO: Suffolk vs. Elms – All-Time Series

EYES ON THE GAME

SIGHTS & SOUNDS: 2021 FALL MEDIA DAY

LOOKING AHEAD
Suffolk returns to action Saturday, Sept. 4 when it welcomes Framingham State to Eastie for a 12 p.m. kick-off.