UNION, NJ…The
New Jersey City University women’s soccer team took a very important and dynamic step in its rebuilding process behind second-year head coach
ROBERT BIELAN on Wednesday evening, forcing double overtime against Kean University—a 2006 NCAA Division III Tournament qualifier—before losing 1-0 with just 41.2 seconds remaining, in a New Jersey Athletic Conference game at Kean Alumni Stadium. Freshman goalkeeper
KELLY REILLY (Pennsville, NJ/Pennsville Memorial) made a career-high 21 saves for the Gothic Knights, as Kean outshot NJCU, 39-6, including 22-4 on net.
Kean, currently tied for second place in the league, improved to 7-2-1 overall and 3-1-0 in the league. NJCU falls to 4-4-0 and 0-3-0 in NJAC play. Kean is 14-0 all-time against the Knights.
NJCU forced overtime in a conference game for the first time since a 2-1 loss at Rutgers University-Camden on October 20, 2001. NJCU is 2-7-6 all-time in 15 overtime games in the 15-year history of the program.
Kean had a 15-2 edge in shots at the end of the first period, and after a 10-1 margin in the second period, led 25-3 in that category heading in overtime. Reilly stopped 14 of her 21 shots in regulation with four of her overtime saves coming in the second extra session.
The only goal of the game came at 109:19 of play—41 seconds before a tie—when sophomore forward Kristin Cizek (Manalapan, NJ/St. John Vianney) scored her first goal of the season. Senior midfielder Shannon Blackburn (Vernon, NJ/Vernon Township), who earned her first assist of the year, took a shot from the left side of the box that Reilly stopped, but Cizek picked up the rebounded loose ball just inside the right post and tapped in the winner.
The heart-breaking loss for NJCU came in a game in which prized recruit and 2006 All-State selection, freshman defender
ERICA BUONACQUISTA (Aberdeen, NJ/Bayonne) made her career debut after sitting out the first seven games with an injury. She played an important role in NJCU’s near upset. Kean had a 15-3 edge in corner kicks but could not convert on those chances thanks to the NJCU defensive effort.
NJCU is back in action on Saturday, September 29 at 1 p.m. when it hosts Richard Stockton College in a New Jersey Athletic Conference game at the Robert L. McNulty Memorial Soccer Field.
—www.njcugothicknights.com—
|
Team Stat Comparison |
|
|
NJCU |
Kean |
|
Score |
0 |
1 |
|
Shots |
6 |
39 |
|
Shots On Goal |
4 |
22 |
|
Saves |
21 |
4 |
|
Corner Kicks |
3 |
15 |
|
Fouls |
10 |
10 |
|
Offsides |
4 |
6 |
|
Caution Cards |
1 |
0 |
