New Jersey City University Athletics

 

JERSEY CITY, NJ…Junior midfielder OMAR ALI (Bayonne, NJ/Bayonne) rifled a 22-yard direct kick over the defensive wall, squeezing under the cross-bar and just off the fingertips of a leaping keeper with 9.5 seconds remaining in the first overtime as New Jersey City University survived a scare and a poor defensive effort, and outlasted Eastern Connecticut State University, 5-4, in the second round of the 2004 NJCU/adidas^® Liberty Cup at the Robert L. McNulty Memorial Soccer Field. It was the first-ever meeting between the clubs in men’s soccer.

 

Ali’s first goal of the season lifted the Gothic Knights (3-0-0), ranked fifth in the pre-season Metro Region poll, to the inaugural Liberty Cup tournament championship. NJCU and Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham (2-1-0) each finished 2-0 in the tournament, after FDU blanked the College of Staten Island, 5-0, in Sunday’s opening game. The Gothic Knights claim the title based on goal differential, as NJCU finished +8 in two games, while FDU was +6.

 

Eastern Connecticut (0-2-1) lost its second consecutive heart-breaking, one-goal decision, and finish third in the tournament with a —2 differential. Staten Island (0-2) was fourth at —12.

 

In an intensely physical game during which there were 14 yellow cards assessed (ECSU 8, NJCU 6), and a combined 66 fouls (ECSU 40-26), NJCU did not play well defensively. For the first time since the 2002 season, a span of 29 games, the Gothic Knights allowed four goals in a game.

 

NJCU, which is averaging 5.66 goals a game with its offensive firepower, outshot ECSU, 31-12, including 19-1 in the second half and 4-0 in the overtime. ECSU held an 11-8 advantage on shots in the first half, as 11 of its 12 attempts came in the first 45 minutes.

 

NJCU took a 1-0 lead at 6:41 of the first half when senior forward JOSE DeBERNARD (Lawrenceville, NJ/Princeton), who was named to the All-Tournament team with three goals on the weekend, notched his third of the season on a nifty header inside the left post off back-to-back passes that resulted in a pinpoint cross from the right endline. Junior forward CHRIS ROSENTHAL (Kearny, NJ/Kearny) and senior midfielder ADRIAN RUIZ (Fairview, NJ/Dickinson) were credited with the rare double assist.

ECSU scored its first goal of the season to end a 231:27 scoreless drought to begin the year, as All-Tournament team selection freshman forward Jon Clements (Vernon, CT/Rockville) notched the first goal of his career—the first of three in a hat-trick for the rookie—at 21:27. When NJCU senior goalkeeper BABA GUISSE (Jersey City, NJ/Lycee Eugene Delacroix, France) misplayed a loose ball, Clements was there to knock it inside the right post.

 

Rosenthal, the Liberty Cup’s Most Valuable Player, registered a goal for an eighth consecutive game dating back to the 2003 season, on a penalty kick at 23:36.

 

Clements again tied it for ECSU, a 2-2 game at 28:14, when junior midfielder Brian Clark (Patchogue, NY/Patchogue-Medford) chipped a pass into the box which allowed Clements to drill a one-timer inside the right post. Then at 35:57 freshman forward Richard Bruneau (Bristol, CT/Bristol Central) tallied his first collegiate point with a tie-breaking goal off a direct kick chip into the box from junior midfielder Jeff Mitchell (Enfield, CT/Enfield) that fell loose in the box and knocked inside the right post.

ECSU continued to lead for almost 41 minutes until Rosenthal tied it 3-3 at 76:38 for his fourth goal of the year. Sophomore defender RONNIE SANCHEZ (Clifton, NJ/Clifton) chipped a pass into the box which opened up Rosenthal for a beautiful move to fool the goalkeeper.

 

With under five minutes remaining in regulation, sophomore midfielder CHRIS PALUMBO (Spotswood, NJ/Spotswood) heaved a throw-in to freshman midfielder PATRICK THOMAS (Roselle, NJ/Linden), opening the rookie for a drive down the right wing and an angled blast into the ECSU net for a 4-3 advantage at 85:41.

 

Just when it looked like NJCU would pull out the one-goal win in regulation, Clements did it again with 25 seconds remaining. Mitchell chipped a direct kick into the box for his second assist of the game, as Clements registered a hat-trick and game-tying goal inside the left post. ECSU was playing a man down for the final 1:54 of the second half after a red card was issued.

 

Thomas was issued a red card after being charged with his second yellow with 3:20 left in the first sudden-death overtime to make it 10-on-10 soccer. After ECSU’s 40^th foul was whistled with 12 seconds left in overtime, Ali netted the direct kick game-winner for the 5-4 nail-biting victory.

 

Not diminished in defeat was the outstanding play of freshman keeper Jay Barney (Mansfield, CT/Edwin O. Smith), who was named to the All-Tournament team with 13 saves, some of highlight-reel quality. Guisse made five saves. However back-up keeper JUAN ZUNIGA (Passaic, NJ/Passaic) entered at the start of overtime, and earned the win without being challenged.

NJCU is off until playing in the SUNY-Fredonia tournament on Friday-Saturday, September 10-11 in Fredonia, NY. The Knights will face NAIA-power Houghton College in the opener at 12pm.

 

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The opening game of the afternoon was not as even. FDU won their second consecutive game after a season-opening loss, and earned the runner’s-up trophy as junior forward Chris Paglio (Staten Island, NY/St. Joseph by the Sea) tallied a hat-trick, and freshman forward Mike Konopka (Frankford, NJ/High Point) added two more goals. The Devils built a 3-0 halftime lead and easily defeated Staten Island, 5-0.

 

While the shots were even at the half (7-7), FDU owned a 12-5 edge in the second half and held a final 19-12 advantage.

 

Konopka’s first collegiate point proved to be the game-winner at 27:23, as All-Tournament team pick and  junior midfielder James Durkan (Dumont, NJ/Dumont) elevated a pass over the defense, allowing a one-on-one opportunity for Konopka with an out-of-position CSI keeper.

 

At 38:13, Paglio scored when a thru-ball from junior midfielder Chris Hertzog (Sinking Springs, PA/Wilson) created a breakaway and one-on-one opportunity, which Paglio nearly missed, before banking in off the right post. Konopka made it 3-0 at 40:11 with a one-timer off a pass from the right wing by senior defender Greg Kizelevich (Kenilworth, NJ/David Brearly).

 

In the second half, Paglio scored both goals, his third and fourth of the year. The game’s fourth goal came at 60:13 when a cross over the keeper from the right side by junior defender Giuseppe Sellitto (Parsippany, NJ/Seton Hall Prep) left Paglio open for a header. The final goal was created at 62:15 on a thru-ball into the box from junior midfielder Mauricio Rojas (Union, NJ/Union), before Paglio beat the defense inside the right post.

 

FDU junior keeper Greg Belza (Pennsauken, NJ/Camden Catholic) made two saves, playing the first 69:56. An All-Tournament team pick, he did not allow a goal in 159:56 of action during the weekend. Junior keeper Valon Osmani (Kosovo, Servia and Montenegro/Susan E. Wagner) made five saves for CSI.