New Jersey City University Athletics

Box Score BOX SCORE

GALLOWAY, NJ (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | When senior striker JULIA CASERES (Union, NJ/Union) scored a game-tying goal in the 71^st minute off a feed from senior striker JENNIFER ALBUJA (Union City, NJ/Hoboken), the Gothic Knights were back in contention in their women's soccer New Jersey Athletic Conference Quarterfinal game against Richard Stockton College. But 30 seconds later, the Ospreys went back on top after an own goal and scored four times in a span of 8:16 to break open the game before eliminating NJCU, 5-2, on Sunday afternoon at G. Larry James Stadium.
 
It was the second consecutive season that Stockton hosted NJCU in the NJAC Quarterfinals in the #5 vs. #4 matchup of the tournament and for the second straight year, the Ospreys advanced, improving to 12-5-4 while remaining unbeaten in eight in a row. NJCU fell to 13-7, while making the second NJAC Tournament appearance in program history.  The game was a make-up from a snow/rainout on Saturday.
 
Stockton, which also defeated NJCU in the regular season meeting in Jersey City on October 1 (3-0), leads the all-time series, 19-0. Stockton had a 19-11 edge in shots; the hosts were whistled for 10 offsides. The Ospreys won last year's NJAC Tournament game in Galloway, prevailing 1-0.
 
NJCU will wait for the announcement of the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Division III Metro Tournament bracket on November 7 to see if its season will continue in a post-season tournament for the third year in a row. With the win, the Ospreys advanced to face top-seeded Rowan in the NJAC semifinals on November 1 at 7 pm.
 
In defeat, rookie goalkeeper BRITTANY HOFFMAN (McMurray, PA/Peters Township) had 10 stops, reaching double digits in saves for the fifth time this year and the fourth time in five games.
 
Caseres scored the 20^th goal of the season and 98^th of her career—the fourth time in her career she has scored at  least 20 goals in a season—and Albuja netted two assists—her ninth and 10^th of the season.
 
The tandem moved into second place in Division III history with a combined 430 points—185 goals and 61 assists—and now stand just one shy of equaling the all-time record of 432 points set from 1989-93 by Kalamazoo College. Caseres moved into 15^th place in Division III history with 237 points and tied for 16^th with 98 goals.
 
Senior midfielder MARGIE ALFANO (Randolph, NJ/West Orange) netted her first goal of the season in the 85^th minute for NJCU's second goal.
 
Stockton sophomore forward Jessica Balnis (Dorothy, NJ/Buena) led Stockton with two goals to bring her team-leading total to nine on the season.  Senior midfielder Brianna DeStefano (Williamstown, NJ/Williamstown) and junior midfielder Rachel Carlson (Mullica Township, NJ/Oakcrest) each scored for the Ospreys.
 
Junior defender Bridget Connelly (Deptford, NJ/Deptford), sophomore forward Jacque Becker (Hamilton, NJ/Steinert) and sophomore defender Lauren McCutcheon (Haddon Township, NJ/Haddon Twp.) had assists for the hosts.
 
Sophomore goalie Sarah Hinkle (Mullica Hill, NJ/Paul VI) made three saves in 86:19 of action. Sophomore Cara Parliament (Manchester, NJ/Manchester Township) played the final 3:41.
 
New Jersey City nearly took an early lead on a shot by Albuja in the 18^th minute before Hinkle made a diving save. DeStefano would put Stockton ahead, 1-0, late in the first half as she ran onto a thru ball from Connelly and scored her fourth goal of the season at the 39:12 mark. Stockton had an 8-5 edge in shots in the first half.
 
The scoring pace escalated late in the second half as the teams combined for six goals in the last 20 minutes.  NJCU tied it at 70:29 as Albuja dribbled onto the right wing, crossed the ball into the box, where Caseres buried NJCU's first- ever NJAC Tournament goal at the 70:29 mark to pull the Gothic Knights even.
 
The 1-1 deadlock was short-lived as Stockton took the lead for good on an own goal just 30 seconds later when a cross by Balnis was inadvertently volleyed into the net by an NJCU defender, trying to clear the ball out, 10 yards in front of the left post at 70:59.
 
The Knights tried to shake off the unlucky play and nearly did 47 seconds later when senior defender ERICA BUONACQUISTA (Aberdeen, NJ/Bayonne) beat Hinkle high. But the shot at 71:46 caromed off the crossbar as Stockton maintained the one-goal margin.
 
Just 2:16 after the own goal, Stockton got a key insurance goal. After an initial shot by Balnis was saved by Hoffman, Balnis converted the rebound off an assist from Becker for a 3-1 cushion at 73:15.
 
Down by two goals, NJCU began pushing its offense forward, and the Ospreys were able to capitalize on several long passes. At 74:34, just 1:19 after the third goal, Stockton scored a fourth as Carlson converted a breakaway pass from McCutheon for her first goal of the season. Less than five minutes later, Balnis went in alone, dribbled around Hoffman alone in the box, and netted her second goal of the game at 79:15.
 
At the 84:26 mark, Alfano received a feed along the right sideline from Albuja, dribbled onto the right wing, and bent a floater over the head of Hinkle for NJCU's second goal.

GAME NOTES:

JULIA CASERES passed Taryne Lee of Wheaton College (IL) on the all-time Division III goals list. She is now tied with Kelly Fink of Concordia College (WI) and Wisconsin-Stevens Point (2000, 2001-03, 81 games), Stacey Williams of Wilmington College (OH) (1993-96, 76 games) and Lynne Stever of Nazareth College (1983-84, 1986-87, 75 games) for 16th in Division III history with 98 goals. Molly Burke of Western New England College is next on the list with 100 goals in 90 games (1998, 2000-02). Caseres passed Fink and Leslie Stechshulte of Capital University (1991-94, 68 games) on the all-time points list. She needs three more points for a share of 13th place. Albuja and Caseres passed Kalamazoo's Sandi Poniatowski (1996-99, 218 points, 84 goals, 50 assists) and Erin Killian (1995-98, 212 points, 83 goals, 46 assists) who had 430 combined points (167 goals, 96 assists) for second place in Division III history. The all-time record of 432 points was set by Jennifer Russell (1990-93, 287 points, 118 goals, 51 assists) and Karen Carney (1989-92, 145 points, 47 goals, 51 assists) with 165 goals and 102 assists, also for Kalamazoo.