Box Score MADISON, N.J. (Sept. 7, 2014) — Previewing the 2014 season, head coach Christa Racine of the Drew University women's soccer team warned her newcomers that they did not have the luxury or time to be a rookie.
 
A pair of freshmen heeded their coach's warning in the Rangers' come-from-behind, 2-1 victory over Rutgers-Camden (1-3) on Sunday afternoon in the Fall Festival tournament finale. Midfielder Katie Weber scored the game-winner in the 69^th minute, assisted by midfielder Thalia Santacruz. Drew improves to 2-2 with the win.
 
The Scarlet Raptors led 1-0 at halftime after a goal in just the 9^th minute. Junior forward Emma Campbell scored the equalizer in the 58^th minute, her fourth goal of the young season. Eleven minutes later, Weber received her "welcome to college" moment.
 
"It's definitely exciting and I'm feeling a lot of nerves," Weber said. "When I came to Drew, I wasn't expecting to play as much as I am. Now that I am, I realize that because we are a young team, everyone has an important responsibility. As a freshman, you have to step up."
 
Weber's time to step up was a spur of the moment decision. Santacruz beat a Raptors defender near the baseline and fed a cross that trickled along the goal line. Another freshman, forward Samantha Garzon, was defended by the keeper, who hit the ground and opened up Weber for an empty net.
 
"I saw the ball coming across and I wasn't all the way up toward the line," Weber said. "I saw the goalie on the ground after she slid to defend Sam, so it was my time to go. I was able to capitalize, but I was saying to myself, 'Please don't hit it over!'"
 
Campbell continued her torrid goal-scoring pace to start the 2014 season. She took a pass from junior Danielle Cowan just inside the right corner of the Rutgers-Camden 18-yard box, and always with a mind toward goal, blasted a shot into the left netting to tie the match at 1-1.
 
The goal gave a contingent of Drew rookies the chance to be heroes.
 
"A win is always nice, but the other aspect is that we showed some fight today," Racine said. "On the game-winner, we saw two freshmen doing what I asked them to do. Thalia is a talented and technical player, and she has the ability to carry the goal line. That's a scary thing for a goalkeeper to deal with. Katie got to where she needed to be in the box and crashed the goal."
 
Junior goalkeeper Sara Nash picked up the win in net after making six saves and allowing the one goal in her 67 minutes. Sophomore Ryan Jackson made her first appearance of the season in the 68^th minute and held the Raptors scoreless with two saves to preserve the victory.
 
Sunday's victory marked Drew's first at home this season, and the young Rangers are swiftly gaining perspective and experience by playing games on back-to-back days for two weekends in a row. The freshmen players, who are still not allowed to act like rookies according to their head coach, are benefitting the most from an influential first four games of the season.
 
"We are freshmen, so one of our roles is to grow personally as well as with the team," Weber said. "On a team with no seniors, everyone is coming back next year so we feel like we are building something together. Everyone has different skills, but when you put it together, it's one unit."
 
That unit gets some well-earned rest this week before returning to the pitch on Saturday, Sept. 13 against Richard Stockton College at 1:00 p.m. from Ranger Stadium.