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University of Massachusets Athletics
Anna Casale, Nissa Pereira Complete Women’s Soccer 2018 Roster
July 24, 2018 | Women's Soccer
Duo brings incoming class to five for Jason Dowiak’s inaugural campaign.
AMHERST, Mass. – New head coach Jason Dowiak announced the addition of Anna Casale (Tampa, Fla.) and Nissa Pereira (Ludlow, Mass.) to the UMass women's soccer roster for the upcoming 2018 campaign. Casale is one of four incoming freshmen for the Minutewomen, while Pereira will be a sophomore transfer after playing last season at Hartford.
The pair joins Lauren Bonavita (Hanson, Mass.), Mia Carazza (Winchester, Mass.) and Stella Schwartz (Mount Kisco, N.Y.).
Casale was a four-year letterwinner at Tampa Catholic High School and played club soccer for the Tampa Bay Rowdies. The 5-foot-7 forward led the district as a senior with 21 goals and nine assists for Tampa Catholic. She earned a spot in the Senior All-Star Game and was a finalist for the Janet Alvarez Award which goes to the senior female soccer player of the year in Hillsborough County. With the Rowdies, she led the team to a first-place finish in the Southeast and a fifth-place ranking nationally with the squad reaching the ECNL National Championship semifinals this past June.
"Anna joins us from one of the strongest youth soccer clubs in the Southeast, the Tampa Bay United Rowdies," said Dowiak. "As a starting center-mid, she helped guide her TBUR Under-18 squad to the ECNL National Playoffs in Seattle, Wash., a feat only 16 teams in the country qualify for. She was also a standout high school player for Tampa Catholic where she was named Rookie of the Year in 2015, Offensive MVP in 2016, 2017 & 2018, and was a Finalist for the Janet Alvarez Award for Senior Female Soccer Player in 2018. Anna is a technical, composed midfielder with a strong soccer IQ who I am very excited to see develop in our system."
Pereira played the 2017 season for Hartford University where she played in six matches with two starts. The 5-foot-2 defender was a member of the America East Commissioner's Honor Roll for student-athletes with over a 3.5 grade-point-average. At Ludlow High School, the incoming sophomore was a four-year letterwinner who was a two-time All-Massachusetts selection and a three-time All-Western Mass honoree. As a senior, she scored nine goals with two assists to earn All-New England and MassLive's Western Massachusetts Girls Soccer Player of the Year accolades. She played club soccer for FC Stars as a four-year captain and currently plays summer league for the New England Mutiny in the United Women's Soccer league.
"Nissa is transferring to us after solid freshman campaign at Hartford and I am very happy to welcome her to our squad," said Dowiak. "She was a two-time All-Massachusetts player at Ludlow High School and was also recognized on the All-New England Team and as Athlete of the Year. She played her club soccer for national powerhouse FC Stars out of Massachusetts and I look forward to her adding experience and depth to our defensive core."
The 2018 season will officially begin on August 9 at Vermont in an exhibition match before the Minutewomen host Holy Cross at Rudd Field on Aug. 12 for another friendly. The season's opening match will be Aug. 16 against Maine at Rudd Field.
For complete coverage of the UMass women's soccer team, follow the Minutewomen on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at @UMassWSoccer and online at www.UMassAthletics.com.
The pair joins Lauren Bonavita (Hanson, Mass.), Mia Carazza (Winchester, Mass.) and Stella Schwartz (Mount Kisco, N.Y.).
Casale was a four-year letterwinner at Tampa Catholic High School and played club soccer for the Tampa Bay Rowdies. The 5-foot-7 forward led the district as a senior with 21 goals and nine assists for Tampa Catholic. She earned a spot in the Senior All-Star Game and was a finalist for the Janet Alvarez Award which goes to the senior female soccer player of the year in Hillsborough County. With the Rowdies, she led the team to a first-place finish in the Southeast and a fifth-place ranking nationally with the squad reaching the ECNL National Championship semifinals this past June.
"Anna joins us from one of the strongest youth soccer clubs in the Southeast, the Tampa Bay United Rowdies," said Dowiak. "As a starting center-mid, she helped guide her TBUR Under-18 squad to the ECNL National Playoffs in Seattle, Wash., a feat only 16 teams in the country qualify for. She was also a standout high school player for Tampa Catholic where she was named Rookie of the Year in 2015, Offensive MVP in 2016, 2017 & 2018, and was a Finalist for the Janet Alvarez Award for Senior Female Soccer Player in 2018. Anna is a technical, composed midfielder with a strong soccer IQ who I am very excited to see develop in our system."
Pereira played the 2017 season for Hartford University where she played in six matches with two starts. The 5-foot-2 defender was a member of the America East Commissioner's Honor Roll for student-athletes with over a 3.5 grade-point-average. At Ludlow High School, the incoming sophomore was a four-year letterwinner who was a two-time All-Massachusetts selection and a three-time All-Western Mass honoree. As a senior, she scored nine goals with two assists to earn All-New England and MassLive's Western Massachusetts Girls Soccer Player of the Year accolades. She played club soccer for FC Stars as a four-year captain and currently plays summer league for the New England Mutiny in the United Women's Soccer league.
"Nissa is transferring to us after solid freshman campaign at Hartford and I am very happy to welcome her to our squad," said Dowiak. "She was a two-time All-Massachusetts player at Ludlow High School and was also recognized on the All-New England Team and as Athlete of the Year. She played her club soccer for national powerhouse FC Stars out of Massachusetts and I look forward to her adding experience and depth to our defensive core."
The 2018 season will officially begin on August 9 at Vermont in an exhibition match before the Minutewomen host Holy Cross at Rudd Field on Aug. 12 for another friendly. The season's opening match will be Aug. 16 against Maine at Rudd Field.
For complete coverage of the UMass women's soccer team, follow the Minutewomen on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at @UMassWSoccer and online at www.UMassAthletics.com.
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