New Jersey City University Athletics

 

BROOKLYN, NY…New Jersey City University freshman striker JENNIFER ALBUJA (Union City, NJ/Hoboken) provided her first career assist on what proved to be the game-winning goal, then added her 13^th netter of the season in just seven games, as the Gothic Knights moved back above .500 with a 2-0 shutout of Medgar Evers College in a non-conference game on Thursday.

 

NJCU improves to 4-3 overall with the win, while the Cougars fall to 2-6 with their fifth straight loss. The Knights lead the all-time series, 4-0, and own an 18-3 goal differential. With the victory, NJCU has already eclipsed its win total from last year (3-15), with 11 games still remaining in the season.

 

Albuja, who now has 13 goals, one assist and 27 points, scored a goal in her fourth consecutive game and sixth time in seven outings. She tied current NJCU midfielder KATIE FEEHAN (Manasquan, NJ/Wall) for the second most goals scored in single-season history—Feehan had 13 in 2005—and is one shy of tying the single-season standard. Additionally, Albuja’s 27 points are fourth on the single-season list, and her 13 goals already are seventh in program history.

 

NJCU, which outshot the Cougars 24-19, took a 1-0 lead in the 11^th minute when freshman forward JUANITA SARRIA (Englewood, NJ/Dwight Morrow) received a feed through the defense from Albuja, and finished her second goal of the year.

 

With NJCU ahead by just one, Albuja gave the Knights a key insurance goal when she netted a pass from freshman sweeper ASHLEY WELCH (Pennsville, NJ/Pennsville Memorial) in the 67^th minute. The assist was her second of the year.

 

From there, the Gothic Knight defense, led by freshman goalkeeper KELLY REILLY (Pennsville, NJ/Pennsville Memorial) kept the Cougars off the board, as Reilly stopped nine shots for her fourth shutout of the year. All of NJCU’s victories have come in the form of a shutout and the Knights have outscored opponents in those games, 18-0. MEC keeper Julissa Blanco had 11 saves in defeat.

 

NJCU is back in action on Saturday, September 22 at 1 p.m. when it hosts Rowan University in a New Jersey Athletic Conference game at the Robert L. McNulty Memorial Soccer Field.