Women’s Soccer: TCNJ A Perfect Fit For Freshman Curtis

[author] [author_image timthumb=’on’]http://conjsports.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/1554582_10203122610372337_1680182836_n.jpg[/author_image] [author_info]Nicole DeStefano

@nicdestef[/author_info] [/author]

EWING – The transition from high school to college can be a tough one. It’s an overwhelming mix of emotions: excitement, fear, or a combination of the two.

The environment is new, the workload is heavy, and the expectations are higher. However, freshman Arielle Curtis, a member of the varsity soccer team and a Biology major, seems to be adjusting quite well.

“The level of play is so high here, so the soccer transition, it wasn’t too bad,” said Curtis. You get used to the high paced game. But the girls on the team make that so much easier, and it’s such a great family. So they made it much easier to adjust to life in college.”

Curtis, a midfielder, has had at least thirty minutes of playing time in each of the six games thus far—an impressive amount of time for a freshman.

She played for 50 minutes this Saturday against the Rutgers Newark Scarlet Knights, and had one shot on goal. Curtis contributed to the 5-0 win against the Scarlet Knights—playing with determination and aggression whenever she was on the field.

“I’ve been playing soccer for eleven years now,” Curtis said. “My parents actually got me into it, they wanted to put me into a sport where I was constantly moving, and I’ve been playing ever since.”

Curtis played for Players Development Academy (PDA) before coming to the College of New Jersey. PDA teams compete in premier leagues throughout the northeast and Mid-Atlantic States, and participate in highly competitive tournaments nationwide.

Curtis also played for Hillsborough High School, where she recorded 11 goals and 10 assists her senior year.

The College of New Jersey’s soccer team seems to be a perfect fit for Curtis. She’s not only doing well on the field, but is also building strong connections with her teammates and coaches. Curtis knew TCNJ’s soccer program was right for her from the start.

“Well I loved the school first of all. And then I was introduced to Joe Russo and I absolutely loved him. Obviously the team has such a huge name and I love the high standards that they have. As soon as I met them, I just fell in love with them.”

Curtis and the Lions have their next game Tuesday September 22^nd when they head to Madison to play Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham at 7 p.m.