Playing in its first United Women’s Soccer season this year, New York Surf Soccer Club has put together a well-balanced roster that features players who excelled at both the youth and collegiate levels.

Among those difference makers is forward Erica Murphy, who enjoyed a standout college career at Monmouth University and Rutgers University.

“We are very fortunate to have such a talented roster for our inaugural season in United Women’s Soccer, and Erica is someone who has the ability to be an impact player for us,” NY Surf head coach Michele Canning said. “Erica is a dangerous player in the final third, and we look forward to her creating chances for herself and her teammates.”

A native of Millstone, N.J., Murphy played her high school soccer for Pennington Prep and helped the team to four Prep A championships, registering 62 goals and 21 assists.

She was named to the ESPN New Jersey first team, also receiving player of the year honors from the Trenton Times and the Trentonian. The Red Raiders went 61-5 with Murphy on the team, and they were ranked the No. 1 team in the nation by ESPN Rise over four consecutive weeks in 2011.

At the club level, Murphy played for PDA Celtic, winning the 2010 New Jersey State Cup championship. Additionally, she was a four-year member of the New Jersey Olympic Development Program and helped Jersey win an ODP championship.

Murphy opted to play at Monmouth on the Jersey Shore. Over three seasons, she made 37 starts over 58 appearances while recording 26 goals and four assists. The two-time All-Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference recipient tallied 16 goals as a junior in 2015, which was the highest total at the program since 1998.

For her senior campaign, Murphy transferred to Rutgers to complete her college career. In her one season in Piscataway, N.J. she finished third on the Scarlet Knights with four goals and an assist.

Murphy opened the 2017 National Women’s Soccer League preseason with Sky Blue FC after head coach Christy Holly gave her an invitation into camp. Her experience in that professional environment paid clear dividends in the development of her game, which she has since been applying on the field this season for NY Surf.

Murphy and NY Surf will return home to SUNY Maritime College Saturday at 4:30 p.m. to host the New England Mutiny in a battle for the top of the UWS Eastern Conference Table. SUNY Maritime College is located at 6 Pennyfield Avenue in the Bronx.

Front Row Soccer editor Michael Lewis has covered 13 World Cups (eight men, five women), seven Olympics and 25 MLS Cups. He has written about New York City FC, New York Cosmos, the New York Red Bulls and both U.S. national teams for Newsday and has penned a soccer history column for the Guardian.com. Lewis, who has been honored by the Press Club of Long Island and National Soccer Coaches Association of America, is the former editor of BigAppleSoccer.com. He has written seven books about the beautiful game and has published ALIVE AND KICKING The incredible but true story of the Rochester Lancers. It is available at Amazon.com.