The Carleton Ravens women’s soccer team returned to the field Sept. 3-4, splitting its first two games to open the 2011 season.

Head coach Alex McNutt and his team opened the year with a trip to Toronto, where they completed two games in successive days against Ryerson and the University of Toronto, respectively.

After an impressive pre-season which saw the team register three wins and two draws, the women picked up right where they left off, clinching a 2-0 victory in their season opener against the Ryerson Rams Sept. 3.

It didn’t take long for the road side to open the scoring, as standout rookie striker Adrianna Ruggiero put the Ravens ahead in the 13th minute.

Following a failed clearing attempt by a Rams defender, the Unionville, Ont. native gained possession just outside of the penalty area and hit a low drive into the bottom corner of the goal, beating goalkeeper Katrina Persson-Thomas.

Fellow rookie Nicole Filipow, who hails from Edmonton, Alta., doubled the advantage just five minutes later, giving the Ravens a lead they would not relinquish.
The two goal-scorers are part of a large contingent of rookies on this year’s edition of the team. Nine first-year players will don the Raven this season, an exciting prospect that is already paying dividends for head coach McNutt.

But despite all the new recruits this year, McNutt can look between the posts to find a familiar face. On the heels of a solid showing for Canada at the 26th Summer Universiade in Shenzhen, China last month, third-year goalkeeper Rachel Bedek returned to register the clean sheet at Lamport Stadium.

Unfortunately for the Ravens, the second match of their weekend double-header proved to be a much stiffer challenge, as the women came out on the wrong end of a 2-0 scoreline at Varsity Centre against the University of Toronto Sept. 4.

While it was the Ravens who enjoyed a quick start Sept. 3, the Varsity Blues returned the favour a day later, taking the lead only seconds after the opening whistle.

A second goal for the home side in the 18th minute put Carleton in an early hole, one which they ultimately could not dig themselves out of.

Things don’t get any easier for the Ravens, who will be back in action Sept. 7 at Keith Harris Stadium. The women will get their first taste of the defending Canadian Interuniversity Sport champions from Queen’s University, in what promises to be an entertaining match.

Kick-off for the home-opener is set for Wednesday at 1 p.m.