New Jersey City University Athletics

 

JERSEY CITY, NJ…Rutgers University-Camden sprinted out to a 3-0 lead 54 minutes into the game and despite two quick goals by New Jersey City University midway through the second half to turn the game into a nailbiter, the Raptors were able to hold NJCU off the board in the final 23 minutes, and held on for a 3-2 upset of the #22 ranked Gothic Knights, in the regular season and New Jersey Athletic Conference finale for both teams at the Robert L. McNulty Memorial Soccer Field.

 

The loss snaps NJCU’s 13-game home field winning streak. NJCU loses despite outshooting the Raptors, 24-8, including 11-1 in the second half.

 

With the victory, Camden (10-4-5, 5-2-2 NJAC), ranked sixth in the Metro Region clinches the No. 2 seed in the NJAC Tournament for the second consecutive and receives a bye into the league semifinals on October 31.

 

After opening the season at 13-1-1, NJCU (14-4-1, 5-3-1 NJAC), which entered the game ranked 22^nd nationally by D3Kicks.com and fourth in the region, lost for the third time in four games to close the regular season and the second consecutive game, while dropping the final three NJAC games on its schedule. It is the first time the Knights have lost consecutive games since October 20 and 23, 2004—a span of 50 games.

 

NJCU, which entered the game in second place in the NJAC, falls to third place and will host an NJAC Quarterfinal game on Saturday, October 28 at 1 p.m. against the sixth place team in the conference standings—either Kean University, Rowan University or The College of New Jersey—which will be determined later tonight.

 

Despite the loss, the third-place finish is the highest NJCU has wrapped up a regular season in the conference standings in the NJAC Tournament era and the five NJAC wins tie the 2005 club for a single-season program record. The home quarterfinal contest will mark the first time in program history NJCU will host an NJAC Tournament game.

 

NJCU, which entered the game with 13 consecutive home field victories while winning 23 of its last 24 in Jersey City, loses at home for the first time since a 2-1 defeat to Montclair State University on September 28, 2005. NJCU is still 35-5-1 in Jersey City over the last four seasons.

 

For Camden, junior midfielder Rob Gambino (Marlton, NJ/Cherokee) had a goal and an assist while junior midfielder Pat Baldiserra (Milmay, NJ/Buena Regional) had two assists.

 

NJCU sophomore midfielder CRISTHIAN ACUNA (East Newark, NJ/Harrison) scored once and assisted on another to give him eight goals, 12 assists and 28 points overall.

 

While NJCU dominated the first half, Camden made the most of its limited opportunities by scoring twice in a span of 1:28 to snap a scoreless game.

 

At 35:13, Camden went ahead 1-0 when Baldiserra sent a cross into the box from the right endline, which landed at the feet of senior forward Evan Graves (Somerdale, NJ/Triton Regional) two yards out, where he buried his fifth goal of the season.

 

Moments later, Camden took advantage of an NJCU defender slipping to the turf in pursuit. That allowed Baldiserra to slide a thru ball onto the right wing where Gambino, in a 1-on-0 against junior goalkeeper BRUCE NEVES (Newark, NJ/Hudson Catholic), easily scored at 36:41 for a 2-0 lead. Camden led 2-0 at the break despite being outshot, 13-7 in the period.

 

Another defensive lapse allowed the Raptors to gain a 3-0 lead and score what proved to be the decisive goal at 53:05. Gambino sent a cross from the right wing into the box where junior midfielder Rodney Guishard (Mays Landing, NJ/Oakcrest) was unmarked, and zipped a one-timer into the left portion of the goal.

 

NJCU began a valiant comeback and got on the board 5:29 later. Acuna, the NJAC leader in assists, lofted a cross from the right corner into the box where sophomore forward JAMEL CARSON (Jackson, NJ/Jackson Memorial) sent a leaping header inside the left post at 58:34 for his fourth goal of the year.

 

Less than eight minutes later, Camden was whistled for a handball in the box, and Acuna capitalized, as he buried a penalty kick into the left corner at 66:17. Acuna is now 5-for-5 in penalty kicks this season, and NJCU is 7-for-7 as a team. NJCU trailed 3-2 with 23:43 remaining.

 

NJCU had numerous opportunities to mount a third goal in the final 30 minutes of the contest, but Camden senior keeper David Cunningham (Voorhees, NJ/Eastern) made four of his nine saves in that span. Neves made two saves for NJCU.