New Jersey City University Athletics

 

JERSEY CITY NJ…Freshman midfielder JONATHAN BILBAO (Newark, NJ/St. Benedict’s Prep) came off the bench to spark a second-half surge as he netted two goals and added three assists, and freshman forward JAMEL CARSON (Jackson, NJ/Jackson Memorial) scored what proved to be the game-winning goal, as New Jersey City University outshot Mount Saint Mary College, 41-3, and defeated the Blue Knights, 6-1, in a non-conference game at the Robert L. McNulty Memorial Soccer Field.

              

NJCU improves to 14-3 overall and ties a school record with its seventh consecutive victory. The Gothic Knights have won 9-of-10 since September 21, and 21-of-24 dating to 2004. Additionally, NJCU extended its home field winning streak over non-conference opponents to 12 straight.

The potent NJCU offense has netted 73 goals in 17 games this year, while its defense has surrendered just 14.

              

MSMC (5-7) had its two-game winning streak snapped. In a series that began in 1983, and has seen the schools meet every year since 1996, NJCU now owns a 14-2 all-time lead, with 10 consecutive wins in the match-up. NJCU has outscored MSMC in the 16 encounters, 63-16.

              

Freshman forward JUAN ESPINOZA (New Brunswick, NJ/Buen Pastor (Lima, Peru) scored his team and New Jersey Athletic Conference leading 15^th goal of the season and added an assist on the game-tying goal, to regain a share of the club’s scoring lead with 33 points.

 

CHRIS ROSENTHAL" src="/images/msoccer/2005/10/19/11-06-04%20Chris%20Rosenthal%202.jpg" width=150 align=left border=0>Senior striker CHRIS ROSENTHAL (Kearny, NJ/Kearny) added an assist for his 33^rd point. The assist was the 25^th of his career and his 13^th of the season, breaking the single-season record for helpers that ADRIAN RUIZ had just established in 2004 with 12.

 

Freshman defender GONZALO DAPIA (Kearny, NJ/Kearny) scored the first goal of his career, and sophomore midfielder JOHN JENSEN (Monroe Township, NJ/Monroe Township) added his second goal in as many games.

 

Despite NJCU outshooting the visitors in the first half, 18-3, it was MSMC which possessed a 1-0 lead at the half.

 

At 30:48, sophomore forward James Lau (New Milford, CT/New Milford) attempted a slow roller from the top of the box that skidded under the arms of NJCU freshman keeper RAFAEL ZABALA II (Montclair, NJ/Montclair), who was making his third career start. MSMC sophomore midfielder Anthony Martini (Wallkill, NY/Wallkill Senior) was credited with his first assist for opening Lau with a thru ball. It was Lau’s second goal.

 

However, NJCU came out on fire in the second half, controlling the period with a 23-0 advantage in shots.

 

Bilbao evened the game at 1-1 at 53:38. After MSMC freshman keeper Jack Benenati (Dix Hills, NY/Half Hollow Hills West) made a terrific save of a left-wing rocket by Espinoza, Bilbao rifled in a one-timer on the rebound.

 

Carson netted his second game-winner of the season and fifth goal, as he received a Bilbao thru ball from the middle, and unleashed a 20-yard blast inside the left post, and past a diving keeper at 60:24 for a 2-1 lead.

 

Nearly three minutes later, Bilbao gave NJCU a 3-1 cushion with his fifth goal of the season, coming at 63:21, as he tracked down a loose ball on the left wing, and uncorked a one-timer inside the left post.

 

Espinoza added an insurance goal 3:08 later. His 15^th goal was created by a Rosenthal record-breaking cross from the right endline, which Espinoza drilled inside the right post at 66:29.

 

Dapia headed in a corner kick in the box from Bilbao at 71:52, for his first career tally and 5-1 lead. The final goal came at 78:46, as Jensen immediately blasted in the rebounded save of a Bilbao shot, and banked the ball off the right post and in for his second goal of the season. The assist was Bilbao’s seventh of the year.

 

Sophomore keeper BRUCE NEVES (Newark, NJ/Hudson Catholic) played the second half and despite not being challenged, improved to 13-2 in net this year, and 16-3-1 in his career, while lowering his goals against average to 0.73. Benenati was solid in net for MSMC, making 13 saves in defeat. NJCU also owned an 11-2 edge in corner kicks.

 

At 4-2 and in second place in the NJAC, NJCU will play a key conference game on Saturday, October 22 at 1 p.m. when it meets Richard Stockton College in Pomona, NJ.