New Jersey City University Athletics

 

JERSEY CITY, NJ…Freshman midfielder JONATHAN BILBAO (Newark, NJ/St. Benedict’s

Prep) lifted a corner kick from the left wing that took a wicked turn inside the right post with 9:14 remaining in regulation, as New Jersey City University upset nationally No. 14 ranked The College of New Jersey, 2-1, in a New Jersey Athletic Conference game Saturday afternoon at Lions’ Stadium.

              

The victory gives NJCU head coach KEVIN EAST his 100^th career victory in only his eighth season at the helm of the Gothic Knights. With 305 wins in program history, nearly one-third have occurred during his tenure.

              

The win for NJCU (11-3-0, 4-2-0 NJAC), its 18^th win in 21 games since last season, marks the third time this season the Knights have knocked off a nationally ranked opponent, and the club is 3-0 against ranked teams in 2005. Prior to this season, NJCU owned only three wins and one tie against ranked opponents, with all coming since 1998. It is NJCU’s third 2-1 win over a ranked opponent in school history.

              

Meanwhile, it was NJCU’s second victory over TCNJ in Ewing in school history. The Knights last defeated TCNJ on the road on October 6, 2001.

              

TCNJ (9-2-1, 4-2-0 NJAC) loses at home for the first time this season (4-1) in a game originally scheduled to be played in Jersey City, before having the venue changed due to this week’s heavy rain in North Jersey.

 

The Gothic Knights struck first, as freshman forward JUAN ESPINOZA (New Brunswick, NJ/Buen Pastor (Lima, Peru)) scored his team-leading 12^th goal of the season with an acrobatic goal 19:10 into the game off an assist from senior forward CHRIS ROSENTHAL (Kearny, NJ/Kearny).

 

TCNJ evened the game at 32:10, when sophomore forward Jeff Langan (Kings Park, NY/Kings Park) JONATHAN BILBAO" src="/images/msoccer/2005/10/15/09-11-05%20Jonathan%20Bilbao%205.jpg" width=150 align=left border=0>gathered a loose ball from inside the penalty area, and netted his first goal of the season. That goal ended NJCU’s consecutive minutes scoreless streak at 241:39. The game was tied 1-1 at the half.

 

It had been nearly 50 minutes without a goal when Bilbao unleashed a corner kick from the far side at 81:46 that hooked to the near post where it was knocked away by a Lion defender.

 

After a brief conference with the side judge, the referee awarded a goal to the Gothic Knights indicating the ball crossed the goal line before being cleared. It was Bilbao’s third goal of the season and his second game-winner.

 

Sophomore keeper BRUCE NEVES (Newark, NJ/Hudson Catholic) improved to 10-2 in net this year, and 13-3-1 in his career, stopping two shots for NJCU. TCNJ sophomore keeper Matt Kasperavicius (Jackson, NJ/Jackson) recorded seven saves, while allowing only his 11^th goals of the season.

 

NJCU owned a 16-12 shots advantage, including 12-6 in the second half.

 

The Knights return to action on Sunday, October 16 at 3p.m. in a non-conference game against St. Joseph’s College (LI) that will be played at Newark’s Ironbound Stadium.