Women's Soccer
2009 Feature

last updated 10/29/2009 10:12 AM
 
Chiara's spirit has given Kutztown plenty to smile about in 2009

KUTZTOWN, PA (October 29, 2009) – Raven Chiara (Jamesburg,NJ/Monroe Township) is always in a good mood. The affable Kutztown University senior women’s soccer player has had a lot to smile about this season.

After all, the Golden Bears have clinched the second seed in the upcoming Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division playoffs, are ranked 14^th in the latest National Soccer Coaches Association of America Top 25 poll and they are third in the all-important Atlantic regional rankings released by the NCAA.

Chiara will play her final regular season home game on Saturday when Kutztown closes out a memorable regular season against Bloomsburg beginning at 1 p.m. With one more victory, the Golden Bears (12-4-2) will surpass last season’s win total. Chiara is the only senior on the team.

However, thanks to the Golden Bears strong season Chiara will play at least another game on the sacred ground of Keystone Field. They will host a playoff game for the first time under third-year coach Erik Burstein Tuesday afternoon at 1 p.m. against an opponent to be determined later.

“Raven’s personality is one-of-a-kind,” Burstein said. “Rave always has a great joke. She is witty and does some of the very best impersonations you have ever heard. This program will never be the same when Raven graduates. She has been a fantastic ambassador to this program and her impact on this team will live longer after she says goodbye to KU.”

Whenever the final whistle sounds on the season, Chiara will look forward to a career in graphic designing and advertising. A fierce and highly competitive player on the soccer field, Chiara has enjoyed being a vital ingredient to one of the most successful seasons in Kutztown women’s soccer history.

“I love this team and everything about it,” Chiara said. “I am going to miss playing soccer, but now I can focus on my other talents that I haven’t tapped into yet.”

A communication design major, Chiara’s contributions went far beyond the stat sheet. She provided leadership and laughs for a team featuring an abundance of talented freshman and sophomores. Chiara became a valuable component of Burstein’s attack. When she entered games, the Golden Bears’ energy increased and Chiara immediately created havoc by setting up teammates for a scoring chance.

“Raven is one of the most technical players on the team and she is always pushing players to be better,” Burstein said. “Her attitude toward winning and the personal/emotional investment she puts into every game is tremendous. She always wants to win and there is no losing when Raven is around.”

Chiara has contributed to 44 victories during a career full of highlights. Chiara scored three game-winning goals as a freshman. Chiara played in 18 games and started in four as a sophomore, notching two goals and two assists. Last season, Chiara scored three goals and had an assist, while starting in 12 games and playing in 18. Chiara also had a game-winning goal in a 1-0 win at Millersville last year. All three of her goals came in the first three games of KU's record-tying eight-game winning streak during her junior year.

She has had a positive influence on her teammates. She can be seen during games offering words of encouragement and advice to her teammates. Once Chiara hangs up her cleats and receives her degree, she would like to live in central New Jersey so she can be an easy commute from her dream job in either New York or Philadelphia. It will be emotional when Chiara plays her final game because she has been playing soccer since she was 4 years old.

“I am going to miss the competitive side of soccer,” Chaira said. “I’ve had a lot of great memories and good times being a student-athlete. I feel as though I am prepared for the next chapter of my life. It’s definitely going to be nice when I get a chance to reflect on this season to realize everything that we’ve accomplished. The team considers me a leader and that means a lot to me. We still have some goals to reach and I know we’re focused on achieving them.”

--KU--