New Jersey City University Athletics

 

POMONA, NJ…New Jersey City University could not hold a 1-0 lead in the second half and suffered its first loss this season in New Jersey Athletic Conference play, as Richard Stockton College forced overtime and won it just 3:44 into the extra session, in a 2-1 NJAC upset on Saturday.

 

The loss for NJCU (8-3-0, 4-1-0 NJAC) snapped a five-game winning streak and was its first setback since September 9. Stockton improves to 6-3-2, 1-3-1 NJAC with the win. The loss for NJCU also snapped a two-game winning streak against Stockton, which now leads the all-time series, 24-5-5.

 

After a scoreless first half, junior midfielder EDISON BILBAO (Carteret, NJ/St. Benedict’s Prep) came off the bench for his first action in a week, and put the Knights ahead 1-0 at 67:03 of the second period, when he lofted a 30-yard shot under the crossbar, off an assist from senior forward MARCELO CARPIO (Clifton, NJ/Clifton). The goal was Bilbao’s sixth of the season and 54^th career point, moving him into a tie for seventh in school history. The assist was Carpio’s second.

 

However, NJCU could not make the lead hold and freshman forward Rafael Duarte (Ocean City, NJ/Ocean City) evened the game at 1-1 nearly eight minutes later when he netted his 12^th goal of the season. Sophomore midfielder Butch Huff (Toms Rover, NJ/Toms River North) added his second assist of the year, and sophomore midfielder Pat Tolomeo (Ocean City, NJ/Ocean) contributed his eighth on the play.

 

In a game in which Stockton held a slim 19-16 lead in shots, the Ospreys outshot the Knights in overtime, 3-1, and won it at 93:44 when Duarte poked a ball to sophomore forward Sean McCallum (Vineland, NJ/Vineland), who knocked a low, 15-yard shot into the goal for the sudden-death winner. The goal was McCallum’s fifth of the year and Duarte’s first assist.

 

In defeat, freshman keeper ANDRE VIOLA (Clifton, NJ/St. Joseph’s Regional (Montvale)), made seven saves. Junior Brad Ferguson (Galloway, NJ/St. Joseph), who joined the team only four days prior to the game, made five saves for the win.

 

NJCU is back in action on Monday, October 1 at 1 p.m. when it hosts Keystone College in a non-conference game at the Robert L. McNulty Memorial Soccer Field.