New Jersey City University Athletics

 

GRANTHAM, PA…Senior striker CHRIS ROSENTHAL (Kearny, NJ/Kearny) scored twice for New Jersey City University, and the #16 ranked Gothic Knights controlled the contest with a 22-8 margin in shots, but The College of New Jersey, No. 6 in Division III, netted three of its eight chances, and outlasted NJCU, 3-2, in the NCAA Sweet 16 Sectional Semifinals, hosted by Messiah College on Shoemaker Field, on Friday night.

              

For NJCU, its season ends at 17-7-1, with its second loss to TCNJ (16-2-1) in three meetings this year. It was the 50^th ever game between these schools, which have met every year since 1959. NJCU completes its greatest season in school history by breaking the single-season record for goals with 91, eclipsing the mark of 90 set in 2004. It was also the first time NJCU has played 25 games in a season, while matching the single-season record for victories, first achieved in 2001 and equaled in 2004. The 2005 appearance in the NCAA Tournament marked NJCU’s first in the national tournament.

              

NJCU ends the season with a 6-2-1 record against nationally ranked opponents, with both defeats at the hands of the Lions.

              

Rosenthal, the 2005 NJAC Player of the Year, became the first NJCU player in school history to notch 50 career goals when he evened the score at 1-1 at 19:49 of the first half, burying a feed from freshman midfielder JONATHAN BILBAO (Newark, NJ/St. Benedict’s Prep), who added his 10^th assist of the season.

              

That goal countered an unassisted score by TCNJ sophomore Jeff Langan (Kings Park, NY/Kings Park) who has made a career out of scoring against the Gothic Knights. He knocked a loose ball into the net at 8:29, for his fourth goal of the season and seventh of his career. Five of those seven goals, and all this season have come against NJCU.

              

TCNJ gained a 2-1 lead at 25:42, when junior forward Tim Dudek (Medford, NJ) tracked down a loose ball that had deflected off NJCU in the box, and on the left side, he rifled an angled shot into the right corner for his 10^th goal of the year.

              

TCNJ led 2-1 at the break, despite NJCU owning a 13-5 edge in shots. The Lions notched what proved to be the decisive goal, taking a 3-1 lead at 56:07 of the second half, when junior midfielder Michael Ferber (New City, NJ/Clarkstown North) again gained a loose ball and snuck a shot into the net.

              

Rosenthal, who attempted six of NJCU’s 22 chances, drew NJCU within one, 3-2, at 71:37, when he lobbed a high shot over the TCNJ keeper who was charging to cut off a thru ball, and banked it off the upper right crossbar. However, the rebound deflected immediately off a TCNJ defender and into the right corner of the net for an NJCU tally. The unassisted score was the 51^st career goal and 128^th point for Rosenthal, who completed his career as NJCU’s all-time leader in both categories.

              

However, despite outshooting TCNJ in the second half, 9-3, the Knights, called offsides 10 times, could not find the net in the final 18:23 of action, as the Lions prevailed, 3-2.

 

Sophomore keeper Matt Kasperavicius (Jackson, NJ/Jackson) showed why he was voted First-Team All-NJAC at the position, stopping nine shots to preserve the win for TCNJ. Sophomore keeper BRUCE NEVES (Newark, NJ/Hudson Catholic), a Second-Team All-NJAC pick this year, made two saves.

 

In addition to Rosenthal, the loss marked the end of the careers of midfielder JOHAN GONZALEZ (Clifton, NJ/Clifton), and defender BERTHONY DORCIUS (Asbury Park, NJ/Asbury Park). Gonzalez graduates as NJCU’s all-time leader in assists (31) and games played (82).