New Jersey City University Athletics

 

JERSEY CITY, NJ…Freshman goalkeeper Megan Cotta (Point Pleasant, NJ/St. Rose) made seven saves to thwart a red-hot New Jersey City University offense which had scored 13 goals in its first two games, and Mount Saint Mary College made a 2-0 halftime lead hold up as Blue Knights defeated NJCU, 3-0, in a non-conference women’s soccer game played at Robert L. McNulty Memorial Soccer Field. The game was NJCU’s 2007 home opener.

 

The loss was NJCU’s first of the season (2-1-0), while MSMC improves to 3-1-0, with all three victories coming in the form of a shutout. MSMC leads the all-time series, 7-3-1, and ends NJCU’s two-game winning streak in the rivalry. MSMC held a slim 16-13 edge on shots, and NJCU was unable to capitalize on its six corner kicks.

 

MSMC received first half goals from junior midfielder Kristen Piatkowski (Madison, NJ/Watchung Hills Regional) and sophomore midfielder Lauren Dorsa (Massapequa Park, NY/Massapequa), as each player netted their second goals of the year, and the Blue Knights took a 2-0 lead into the intermission.

 

Freshman forward Kristen Maggio (Smithtown, NY/Smithtown West) netted her fifth goal of the year midway through the second half to cap the scoring.

 

Piatkowski’s goal came at 21:48 when she headed in a bouncing ball near the right post, while junior midfielder Kaitlin Hunt (Wolcott, CT/Wolcott) was credited with the assist. Dorsa’s goal at 35:51 occurred after a steal from an NJCU defender, and her shot from the deep right wing found the net.

 

At exactly 72:00, Maggio took a feed from senior midfielder Nicole Ryan (Maybrook, NY/Valley Central), dribbled up the left wing, and beat the NJCU keeper to the left post.

 

Cotta stopped seven shots, including two sensational diving saves in the second half to corral what appeared to be certain NJCU scoring chances and to allow MSMC’s lead to hold.

 

NJCU freshman striker JENNIFER ALBUJA (Union City, NJ/Hoboken) had nearly half of NJCU’s shots, with six of the 13, but had her goal scoring streak stopped at two games to open her career. Freshman goalkeeper KELLY REILLY (Pennsville, NJ/Pennsville Memorial) played well in defeat for NJCU, making six saves.

 

NJCU will return to action on Wednesday, September 12 at 4:30 p.m. when it hosts SUNY-Purchase at the Robert L. McNulty Memorial Soccer Field. The game time has been changed from an original 4 p.m. start.