New Jersey City University Athletics

 

NEW YORK, NY...New Jersey City University sophomore midfielder GONZALO DAPIA (Kearny, NJ/Kearny) scored twice and freshman goalkeeper JONATHAN BRUN (Iselin, NJ/JFK Memorial) recorded a shutout in his first collegiate start as the #18 ranked Gothic Knights blanked John Jay College, 5-0, in a non-conference contest at Riverbank State Park.

 

With the win, NJCU—ranked 18^th in the latest D3Kicks.com national poll—improves to 2-1. It was NJCU’s second shutout win in three games this season. John Jay falls to 0-2, both losses coming via shutout. The Bloodhounds have dropped three straight dating to last season.

 

NJCU leads the all-time series—which began in 1983—by a 10-0 margin and have outscored the Bloodhounds 45-1.

 

NJCU outshot JJC, 23-4. Leading 1-0, the Knights scored four goals in the second half. Eight freshmen made their collegiate debuts for NJCU in the victory.

 

Junior forward MARCELO CARPIO (Clifton, NJ/Clifton) added a goal and an assist for the Knights. Sophomore midfielder CRISTHIAN ACUNA (East Newark, NJ/Harrison) netted his first goal of the season, while freshman forward FREUD MATHURIN (Jersey City, NJ/Dickinson) added a score for NJCU just eight minutes into his first collegiate appearance.

 

Dapia, who scored just once as a reserve freshman defender in 2005, doubled his output from last season, by scoring the first two goals of the game.

 

Dapia gave the Knights a 1-0 lead in the 25^th minute as he finished a header on a double assist from senior midfielder JOSE MIRANDA (Raritan, NJ/Bernards) and Carpio. It was Miranda’s first point as a member of the NJCU roster, since transferring from Mercer County Community College.

 

Just eight minutes into the second half, Dapia put NJCU in front 2-0, when he tracked down a loose

ball outside the box on a failed clear and rifled in a winner. The tally was unassisted.

 

Acuna was awarded a penalty kick for NJCU in the 58^th minute after a handball in the box, and the 2004 New Jersey High School Boys’ Soccer Player of the Year deposited the opportunity for a 3-0 lead.

 

MARCELO CARPIO" src="/images/msoccer/2006/9/6/10-17-05%20Marcelo%20Carpio%2010.jpg" width=150 align=left border=0>Carpio padded NJCU’s margin in the 68^th minute, as freshman midfielder JOHN BERNAL (Paterson, NJ/Inem (Medellin, Colombia) chalked up his first career assist. Mathurin concluded the scoring in the 85^th minute as he netted his first career goal.

 

Each of the Bloodhounds four shot attempts were on goal, and Brun thwarted each, to register the victory and shutout. Freshman defender Edwin Casas (Bogota, Columbia/South Side) had nine saves for JJC.

 

The Knights will return to action on Saturday, September 9 at 2:30 pm against Dickinson University (PA) in the second game of the Third Annual NJCU/adidas Liberty Cup at the Robert L. McNulty Memorial Soccer Field. City College of New York and Drew University will meet in the first game at 12 p.m. The tournament will conclude on September 10.