SBHS Alum Scores for Rutgers Soccer

A local athlete made her presence felt for the Rutgers University women’s soccer team over the weekend.

South Brunswick’s Jessica Puchalski, a freshman, scored her first career goal in the women’s soccer team’s 3-0 win over Fordham. Rutgers is 4-0 this season, with wins over Fordham, Drexel, Army and Delaware.

Puchalski, a 5’7” forward who was a standout soccer player at South Brunswick High School, tallied the final goal from 10 yards out in the win. She played a total of 16 minutes in the win.

FOOTBALL PLAYER TURNS HEADS: The Rutgers football team's running game was uncertain heading into the season, but Glassboro native Paul James put that uncertainty in the past with 182 yards on 22 carries in the season opening overtime loss to Fresno State.

As a result, James has been named the starter for the home opener against Norfolk State this Saturday, according to nj.com.

ALL-TOURNAMENT KNIGHTS: The men’s soccer team and the volleyball team each participated in a tournament over the weekend, and each team had players named to the all-tournament teams.

The men’s soccer team was 0-1-1 in the Duke Soccer Classic, opening the season with a 1-1 tie with Duke and a 2-1 loss to Elon.

Junior Nathan Bruccoleri, of Bordentown, and sophomore Mael Corboz, of Green Brook, both midfielders, were named to the all-tournament team.

Bruccoleri had the Scarlet Knights’ lone goal in the loss to Elon. It was the fourth of his career. Corboz accounted for seven of the Knights’ 20 shots in the tournament, according to Rutgers.

The volleyball team went 2-1 in the Indiana Invitational. Freshman Micaela Anderson and sophomore Ali Schroeter were named to the all-tournament team.

Anderson tied the record for team high kills in her college debut with 10. Rutgers defeated Kent State in that match. On the second day of play, Anderson had 28 total kills in a loss to Indiana and a win over Robert Morris. She had 22 kills and 10 digs against Robert Morris, according to statistics provided by Rutgers.

Schroeter had 44 digs in the tournament, 20 of which came in the win against Robert Morris. The second-year player averaged 4.40 digs per set.

CONFERENCE HONORS: A pair of women’s soccer players were named to the American Athletic Conference weekly honor roll this week.

Seniors Jonelle Filigno and Jess Janosz were both named to the team, the conference announced on Monday.

Filigno, a forward, recorded two goals and one assist during last week’s action. Janosz, a goalie, recorded shutouts in wins over Delaware, 1-0, and Fordham, 3-0.

Filigno’s two goals came on penalty kicks and were both game winners, bringing her to 14 game-winning goals in her career, according to the University. The record for game-winning kicks by a Rutgers women’s soccer player is 15.

Janosz is 4-0 as a goalie this year, and 10-3 all-time. She hasn’t allowed a goal in 347 minutes, 25 seconds of playing time. The school record for consecutive minutes without allowing a goal is 403:39, according to the University.

FIELD HOCKEY EVEN FOR THE SEASON: The field hockey team is off to a 1-1 start following a 2-1 loss to Boston College and a 5-2 win over Vermont this weekend.

In the win over Vermont, five different players scored, including: Ashpal Kaur Bhogal (Leeds, England), Laura Rose (Washington Township, N.J.), Danielle Freshnock (Middletown, N.J.), freshman Sara Regn (Shamong, N.J.) and junior Sophie Wright (Devizes, United Kingdom). Goalie Sarah Stuby had one save.