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After missing much of the first three weeks of the season with injuries, NJCU senior striker CHRIS ROSENTHAL, who ranked fourth in the nation in scoring last year, caught fire at the right moment, and achieved history in the process. Rosenthal notched two goals and one assist as NJCU hammered nationally #24 ranked Rutgers University-Camden, 5-0, on September 24 in Camden, and has been selected as the New Jersey Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Week. For his efforts, Rosenthal has been selected as the NJCU Men's Student-Athlete of the Week for the seventh time in his career after previously winning the award three times each in 2003 and 2004.
Rosenthal averaged 1.00 goals and 2.50 points per game for the week. He has two goals and two assists for six points this season, ranking tied for third on the Gothic Knights in scoring.
The award marks the third time in four weeks this season that NJCU has earned a weekly honor from the conference, and the second NJAC Offensive Player of the Week accolade, after Marcelo Carpio was named in week one. For Rosenthal, it is the second time in his career he has been selected as the NJAC Player of the Week, previously receiving the nod during week nine of the 2003 season. He was not eligible last season, when NJCU was competing as an independent. It is the fourth time a NJCU player has received the award since 2003.
The game proved historic for Rosenthal, as he posted five points to tie Adrian Ruiz (Fairview, NJ) with 86 career points for the all-time scoring lead in school history. The second goal was the 36
th for Rosenthal in 43 career games, and leaves him one shy of the long-standing career goal-scoring record of 37 established by NJCU Hall-of-Famer Ken Holzschuh from 1968-71. He nearly had three goals in the game, before a shot in the 87th minute struck the post.
Rosenthal set up teammate Juan Espinoza for the second goal of the game at 39:43 of the first half and the Gothic Knights, despite being outshot in the period, 10-9, led 2-0 at the break.
Rosenthal, who has been hampered by injuries throughout the first eight games of the season, and has only played in five of the eight contests, logging just 144 of a possible 720 minutes of action, scored his first goal of a tough, early few weeks to the season, when he stole a pass at 59:11 and nailed an unassisted shot from the left wing into the right side for a 3-0 NJCU advantage.
After Rosenthal hit the left post at 86:12, the senior striker proved he is back on track when he notched his record-equaling goal with 1:05 remaining. He took a long pass from his own half of the field and drove a bullet inside the left post at 88:55.
He didn’t score in NJCU’s 2-0 victory over Kean University on September 21, playing only 25 minutes.
In addition to helping NJCU hand the Raptors their first NJAC loss, the five-goal margin was the largest differential against a ranked team in school history. It was also the largest known winning differential in an NJAC road game in school history since the sport was introduced in 1959. It was NJCU’s second win over a nationally Top 25 ranked team this month.
NJCU (7-2-0, 2-1-0 NJAC) has won two in a row, seven of its last eight, and 14 of 16 dating to the 2004 season, with five shutouts in its last six games.
