The Union girls’ soccer team, sparked by one of the top players in North Jersey in senior Nneka Moneme, will open its season Sept. 10 at New Providence.
The first home game is Sept. 13 vs. Westfield.
One year after reaching the 2014 Union County Tournament championship game, the Farmers fashioned a 9-14 record, including a 1-6 mark in the Watchung Division of the Union County Conference.
This year’s squad is guided by first-year head coach Cassiano DosSantos, who was a standout on the boys’ team at UHS before graduating in 2008.
DosSantos scored a goal in the 2006 boys’ UCT final against Scotch Plains during his junior season while playing for head coach Jim Jeskey.
Moneme, a four-year varsity performer, netted a team-high 21 goals and also produced four assists for the Farmers last year.
Union closed its 2015 campaign by winning two of its final three games and four of its last seven.
Other key returning players include sophomores Kayla Miller-People and Kayla Veloso-Lima and senior Alyssa Caggiano.
Scotch Plains, which has won all 10 of its UCT championships in the last 11 seasons – two of them shared, is the favorite once again to win the UCT again as well as the Watchung Division.
Scotch Plains has won the UCT the last six seasons – one of them shared – including in 2014 when the Raiders edged the Farmers 1-0 in double overtime in the final played at Kean University’s Alumni Stadium in Union.
Union is scheduled to host Scotch Plains Sept. 17 at 11 a.m. and play at Scotch Plains Oct. 18 at 4 p.m.
Union has a home night game scheduled against Essex County school Nutley Oct. 13 at 7 at Cooke Memorial Field.
Union has three other matches scheduled against out-of-county schools, including competition against Somerset County opponent Ridge and Middlesex County foes East Brunswick and South Plainfield.
Union’s final two wins last year were back-to-back road triumphs at North Plainfield 4-2 and then at Bayonne 4-0.
Moneme scored twice and Caggiano and senior Gina Alfano once vs. North Plainfield. Caggiano and Moneme each produced two goals in the win over Bayonne.
UNION GIRLS’ SOCCER
2016
Sept. 10 at New Providence, 10 a.m.
Sept. 13 Westfield, 4 p.m.
Sept. 15 Rahway, 4 p.m.
Sept. 17 Scotch Plains, 11 a.m.
Sept. 20 at Summit, 4 p.m.
Sept. 24 at Ridge, 1:30 p.m.
Sept. 26 East Brunswick, 4 p.m.
Sept. 29 at Oak Knoll, 4 p.m.
Oct. 11 Westfield, 4 p.m.
Oct. 13 Nutley, 7 p.m.
Oct. 18 at Scotch Plains, 4 p.m.
Oct. 20 Union Catholic, 4 p.m.
Oct. 24 at South Plainfield, 4 p.m.
Oct. 27 Cranford, 4 p.m.
Oct. 29 Gov. Livingston, 11 a.m.