New Jersey City University Athletics

Box Score BOX SCORE
GAME PROGRAM/NOTES

JERSEY CITY, NJ (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | Senior striker JENNIFER ALBUJA (Union City, NJ/Hoboken) registered her 11^th career hat trick and senior striker JULIA CASERES (Union, NJ/Union) added two goals and an assist to move into second place in New Jersey collegiate soccer history in scoring as New Jersey City University matched the best start to a season in program history with a 5-2 triumph over the College of Staten Island, in non-conference action on Tuesday at the Robert L. McNulty Memorial Soccer Field.

NJCU improved to 6-0-0, matching the 2008 club for the best start in its history, while Staten Island (3-1-0) suffered its first setback of the year. NJCU leads the all-time series, 6-1 (29-10 goals differential) and has won the last four meetings, outscoring the Dolphins 23-3 in that span. NJCU outshot CSI, 37-6, including a decisive 22-2 margin in the first half.
 
Caseres scored the first and third goals of the game for a five-point effort that increased her four-year scoring totals to 86 goals, 37 assists and 209 points in 70 games—second most among men's or women's collegiate Division I, II or III players in the history of New Jersey soccer. She now trails only current U.S. Women's National Team captain Christie Pearce Rampone, who had 212 points in 80 games for Division I Monmouth University from 1993-96. Caseres extended her NJCU school records for game-winning goals (15) and assists (29) in the win.
 
Albuja netted the second, fourth and fifth goals for the 72^nd, 73^rd and 74^th goals of her Gothic Knight career and moved into third place in the history of the New Jersey Athletic Conference with 161 career points in 65 games. Only Caseres with 209 points and former Kean University standout Noelle Meeke with 164 points (69 goals, 26 assists) from 1995-97 have accounted for more scoring.
 
Also for NJCU, sophomore center midfielder BRIANNA TAYLOR (Linden, NJ/Linden) distributed a pair of assists, giving her five in the first six games of her Gothic Knight career. Junior midfielder AMANDA SPETHMANN (Wood-Ridge, NJ/Hasbrouck Heights—Wood-Ridge) added her third assist of the season.
 
NJCU had a 24-4 margin in shots on goal and CSI sophomore keeper Valerie Incontrera (Staten Island, NY/Susan Wagner) made 16 saves, including 11 in the first half, while seeing 70:08 in net. Junior Samantha Wysokowski (Staten Island, NY/St. Joseph by the Sea) scored her third goal of the season before moving to goalie, where she stopped three shots in 19:52 of action. Sophomore forward Demi-Jean Martorano (Staten Island, NY/New Dorp) netted her ninth goal of the season.
 
Rookie goalkeeper BRITTANY HOFFMAN (McMurray, PA/Peters Township) allowed multiple goals in a game for the first time in her collegiate career, but both were difficult chances. She had two saves in the contest.
 
NJCU came out attacking from the opening whistle, with Albuja nearly scoring on a breakaway 35 seconds in before Incontrera made a great save on the left post. At 3:38, senior stopper ERICA BUONACQUISTA (Aberdeen, NJ/Bayonne) nearly scored on a high shot down the center of the goal before Incontrera tipped it up and off the crossbar.
 
But NJCU would get on the board moments later as Spethmann dribbled to the right endline, centered a ball to Caseres, who made one touch to her left before finishing her scoring chance inside the left post at the 4:50 mark.
 
CSI tied it at 1-1 at 8:14. After an NJCU foul, Martorano unleashed a free kick from 25 yards out into the upper left corner of the net from the right of the box.
 
However NJCU regained the lead for good at the 16:24 juncture as Taylor penetrated the defense, dribbled to the right before centering a pass to Albuja, who banged home a shot down the middle of the target.
 
Early in the 26^th minute, Caseres extended the lead to 3-1. At 25:01, she uncorked a shot in the box that was initially blocked near the left post by Incontrera. But Caseres followed her shot and knocked home the contested rebound just a second later.
 
At the 34:05 mark, Caseres and Albuja teamed up for a goal for the fifth time this season. Caseres drove the right endline before dishing a pass on the ground to Albuja, who one-touched a shot inside the left post for a 4-1 cushion at the half.
 
NJCU added to the lead at the 56:50 mark of the second half on a corner kick from the right side by Taylor. Albuja positioned herself near the goalmouth on the set piece and headed the corner into the left side of the target for a 5-1 margin. NJCU had a 7-0 advantage in corners in the game.
 
CSI was able to add a goal at 59:07 on a rare mistake by the Gothic Knight defense. Wysokowski won the ball off a giveaway in the backfield and from 30 yards out was able to loft a shot over Hoffman, who was backpedaling towards her line. It was her third goal of the year. AMANDA SPETHMANN hit the crossbar on a shot in the 86^th minute as NJCU outshot CSI in the period, 15-4.
 
The Knights will seek to start a season at 7-0-0 for the first time in school history when they open New Jersey Athletic Conference play on Saturday, September 17 at 1p.m. against William Paterson University. CSI is at John Jay College that day at 12 p.m. in a CUNYAC contest.