New Jersey City University Athletics

Box Score BOX SCORE

YORK, PA (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | New Jersey City University led Cabrini College, 2-0 at halftime, before the Cavaliers scored three unanswered goals, including the game-winner with just four seconds remaining in regulation, to stun the Gothic Knights, 3-2, in the consolation game of the Holiday Inn Conference Center Soccer Classic, hosted by York College (Pa.) on Sunday.
 
In the first-ever meeting between the schools, NJCU (2-2-1) held a 15-11 shots advantage, but was unable to capitalize on several breakaway chances that could have put the game out of reach. The Knights were flagged for 24 fouls in the game while Cabrini (3-2) just seven.
 
Freshman forward ANEST ROBERTS (Jersey City, NJ/Edison) and senior forward WALTER AVANS (Roselle Park, NJ/Union Catholic) netted NJCU's two goals. Junior midfielder EDUARDO TEJADA (North Arlington, NJ/North Arlington), an All-NJAC player in 2008 who returned to the program in 2011 after a two-year absence, recorded his first point since November 15, 2008, assisting on the game's first goal.
 
With the goal, Avans moved into sixth place in program history with 75 points, moving past Hall-of-Famer Ken Holzschuh (37 goals, 74 points, 1968-71) on the all-time list.
 
NJCU opened the scoring in the eighth minute as Tejada slipped Roberts a pass from the top of the box, before the rookie collected his fourth goal of the season with a shot inside the far left post at 7:39.
 
The Knights added to the lead at 33:32 after Avans made a move to elude a defender and lifted a shot over the Cabrini keeper, sophomore Eric Nowicki (Havre de Grace, Md.) for a 2-0 edge. Nowicki made five saves in the contest while NJCU senior keeper MANNY LOJO (Clark, NJ/Union Catholic) made one save.
 
Cabrini got back into the contest with a pair of goals in just over a five minute span in the middle of the second period. At 64:05, senior defender Kyle Johnson (Newtown Square, Pa.) was awarded a free kick from the top of the box before striking a hard shot into the bottom right corner.
 
At the 69:30 mark, the Cavaliers tied it. Freshman midfielder George Lambritsios (Upper Darby, PA) aired a cross from the left endline, before freshman forward Matt Sabin (Oreland, Pa.) scored his first collegiate goal on a one-timer.
 
It appeared NJCU was heading to overtime for the second time in two days. But with the clock winding down, Sabin made a deep throw in into the box and with just four seconds on the clock (89:56), sophomore forward Ryan Cerrato (Bel Air, Md.) somehow was able to find the net in traffic for his third goal of the year and the game-winner. The loss gave a stunned Gothic Knight side a fourth place finish in the two-day tournament.
 
NJCU hopes to bounce back when it opens the 2011 New Jersey Athletic Conference schedule with a 1p.m. game at William Paterson University in Wayne, NJ.