New Jersey City University Athletics

 

UNION, NJ…The New Jersey City University men’s soccer team, ranked No. 9 nationally by D3Kicks.com, ran its unbeaten streak to seven consecutive games, after finishing in a 1-1 tie with Kean University, in a New Jersey Athletic Conference game played late Wednesday night at Alumni Field. It was NJCU’s second consecutive double-overtime game.

 

While NJCU’s six-game winning streak comes to an end, the Gothic Knights, who are also ranked No. 20 in Division III by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America, improve to 7-1-1 overall and 2-0-1 in the NJAC. The Knights owns a 3-1-1 record against Kean (4-2-3, 1-1-2) in the last five meetings between the conference rivals.

 

It is the seventh time in school history that NJCU has produced an unbeaten streak of at least seven games; the program record is nine straight to open the 2003 season.

 

Overall, Kean outshot NJCU, 18-16, but the Gothic Knights were more precise, with a 10-8 edge in shots on goal. Junior goalkeeper BRUCE NEVES (Newark, NJ/Hudson Catholic) made a season-high seven saves, while Kean junior Kyle Crego (Ocean City, MD) made nine stops.

 

NJCU jumped ahead 1-0 at 29:15 of the first half, when sophomore midfielder CRISTHIAN ACUNA (East Newark, NJ/Harrison) sent a free kick pass to sophomore midfielder EDISON BILBAO (Carteret, NJ/St. Benedict’s Prep). Bilbao’s subsequent shot was too hot to handle, and deflected off Crego’s hand and into the net for a 1-0 lead. It was his fourth tally of the season and Acuna’s team-leading sixth assist. NJCU owned a 1-0 lead at the half.

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Kean got even exactly 10 minutes into the second half when junior midfielder Konrad Kruczek (Clifton, NJ) scored his fourth goal of the year.  After taking a corner kick, Kruczek received a quick pass back from junior forward Anthony Tuesta (Clifton, NJ) and fired a shot from the left side into the back of the net at 55:00. Neither team would score again, despite numerous chances.

 

NJCU appeared to tie the game at 80:59 when EDISON BILBAO’s corner kick was headed towards the right post by his twin brother JONATHAN BILBAO (Carteret, NJ/St. Benedict’s Prep). But Crego made a remarkable diving stop to keep the ball off the line.

 

Early in first overtime, Kean had a solid scoring opportunity on a 2-on-1 with Neves, before the 2005 All-Region keeper made a game-saving stop at the six-yard marker.

 

Moments later, NJCU again had a chance to put the game away, when JONATHAN BILBAO and sophomore forward JAMEL CARSON (Jackson, NJ/Jackson Memorial) found themselves in a 2-on-0 against Crego. After Bilbao and Crego collided on a 50-50 ball on the left side of the box, the ball caromed to the top of the box, where Carson had a great opportunity to put the ball into an empty net, but missed right. JONATHAN BILBAO had one additional chance at 106:29, before Crego again made a great save on a breakaway.

 

NJCU will return to action on Saturday, September 30 at 1 p.m. with an NJAC home game against Richard Stockton College at the Robert L. McNulty Memorial Soccer Field.