CHRIS PALUMBO’S FIRST COLLEGIATE POINT IS GAME-WINNER
PATCHOGUE, NY…The New Jersey City University men’s soccer team opened up its 2004 season in impressive fashion, showcasing its offensive and defensive strengths, by posting a 4-0 road shutout of St. Joseph’s College-Patchogue. NJCU is 1-0, while the Golden Eagles fall to 0-1.
And while the Gothic Knights are returning 19 letter-winners from last year’s 13-7-2 club, it was the team’s youth rather than its experienced players, which highlighted the 4-0 win.
NJCU grabbed a 1-0 lead shortly before halftime when sophomore midfielder CHRIS PALUMBO (Spotswood, NJ/Spotswood) notched his first collegiate point and the eventual game-winner at 43:57 on a one-timer from inside the six off a feed from freshman forward ALLAN FLORES (Jersey City, NJ/Dickinson). Both players entered the game as reserves midway through the period.
Highly touted rookie midfielder PATRICK THOMAS (Roselle, NJ/Linden) made his first collegiate start a memorable one when he gained control of a loose ball and juggled it several times before blasting an unassisted 18-yard one-timer down the center of the net for a 2-0 score at 56:55.
Just over two minutes later junior CHRIS ROSENTHAL (Kearny, NJ/Kearny) registered a goal for a sixth consecutive game dating back to the 2003 season, when junior co-captain JOHAN GONZALEZ (Clifton, NJ/Clifton) connected with the junior striker on a pass. The crafty Rosenthal caught the opposing goalkeeper out of position and banked his goal off of the opposing sweeper and inside the right post for a 3-0 edge at 59:00.
Another freshman got into the act for the final goal at 83:10 as rookie forward JULIO GARCIA (West New York, NJ/Memorial) made a steal near midfield, and drove down the field before finishing a breakaway score from just outside the six.
NJCU outshot the Eagles, 26-8, and senior keeper BABA GUISSE (Jersey City, NJ/Lycee Eugene Delacroix, France) stopped three shots to record his 13th career shutout, moving him into third place in school history. SJP starting keeper Mark Tripi allowed all four goals and made five saves in defeat.
NJCU is back in action on Saturday and Sunday, September 4-5, when the Gothic Knights host the inaugural NJCU/adidas® Liberty Cup at the Robert L. McNulty Memorial Soccer Field. Game times each day are 12 and 2pm, with NJCU facing College of Staten Island at 12pm on September 4 and Eastern Connecticut State University meeting FDU-Florham. NJCU faces ECSU at 2pm on Sunday.
