New Jersey City University Athletics

Box Score BOX SCORE

EWING, NJ (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | The College of New Jersey scored six unanswered goals, including five in the second half to erase a 1-1 halftime deficit and the New Jersey City University men's soccer team was eliminated from New Jersey Athletic Conference tournament contention by dropping a 6-3 decision to TCNJ in an NJAC game on October 20 at the TCNJ Soccer Complex.
 
NJCU suffers its fourth loss in five games following a 10-4 start to the season and drops to 11-8 overall (2-6 NJAC), while missing out on the conference tournament for the fourth consecutive year—the longest stretch since the late 1990s. The Lions (7-10, 3-5 NJAC) kept their playoff hopes alive, earning three points in the NJAC standings. TCNJ leads the all-time series, 47-7-3 since 1959.
 
NJCU, which had not lost by more than one goal in any of its first six losses of the season, have now dropped two games this week by a combined five goals, including a 3-1 loss to Rowan on October 17. NJCU had defeated TCNJ last season, 5-1.
 
TCNJ had scored just 20 goals in its first 16 games before it scored a season-high six in the win—two more than it had collected in a 4-2 win at William Paterson University on October 10.
 
In defeat, senior center midfielder EDUARDO TEJADA (North Arlington, NJ/North Arlington)  returned from injury to score his team-leading 10^th goal of the season in the 17^th minute while freshman forward ABOUBACAR DIAWARA (Bayonne, NJ/Bayonne) and junior defender MOHAMED CONTEH (Trenton, NJ/West Windsor-Plainsboro North) each scored unassisted tallies in the 73^rd and 87^th minutes. Sophomore midfielder ANDREW LOPES (Union, NJ/Union) chipped in his seventh assist of the season on Tejada's goal.
 
For the Lions, junior Tyler Higgins (Toms River, NJ/Toms River North) led the offense, registering a hat trick in the game—his first three goals of the season, and all in the second half. Senior Kevin Shaw (Brookside, NJ/West Morris Mendham) scored twice and had an assist, while Ray Nelan (Haddon Heights, NJ/Haddon Heights) netted a goal and served up two assists. Sophomore Kevin McCartney (Old Bridge, NJ/St. Joseph's) also had two assists in the victory.
 
TCNJ senior goalkeeper Matt Fredrick (Mt. Laurel, NJ/Lenape) recorded three saves while NJCU reserve rookie goalkeeper KEVIN FUENTES (West New York, NJ/Memorial) tallied four saves. TCNJ outshot NJCU, 25-10 and put 12 shots on goal.
 
NJCU took an early 1-0 lead, capitalizing on their first opportunity of the game. Lopes took the ball off transition and dribbled down the right side before slotting a pass to Tejada, who ripped a one-timer into the left corner at 16:21.
 
Nelan nearly tied the game less than two minutes later but struck a shot off the post after dribbling past Fuentes. He would however tie the game at the 29:08 mark, as he settled a header from Shaw in the box before hitting a left-footed shot from 10 yards out into the left corner for his first goal of the season. It was his first goal since scoring twice in a 4-3 overtime win against the Knights on October 23, 2010. TCNJ had a 13-3 edge in first half shots.
 
TCNJ went in front with a goal just 1:55 into the second half and scored three goals in a span of 6:15 to seize control of the game, 4-1.
 
 
Less than two minutes into the second period, junior midfielder Sean Casey (Toms River, NJ/Toms River South) sent a long pass from behind midfield. Higgins streaked onto the ball, drove against Fuentes from the left side, and slipped it between his legs as he came out to challenge for his first goal and a 2-1 lead.
 
Higgins struck again five minutes later when Nelan beat his defender to the end-line and slipped a pass across the box, which Higgins deposited for his second of the game at the 51:49 mark. Shaw scored his first of two goals less than two minutes later, taking pass from Nelan and finding the back of the net from 12 yards out.
 
The Lions put the game out of reach with a pair of goals in a span of 1:47 in the 63^rd and 65^th minutes, as Higgins and Shaw each struck again with McCartney assisting on both markers.
 
NJCU did make a late run as Diawara scored his fourth goal of the season at the 72:39 mark, beating a defender from 40 yards out before scoring with a high shot. Conteh added his third goal of the season at the 86:10 mark, knocking in a rebound inside the box. But NJCU was unable to make up the five-goal deficit, falling by three.
 
NJCU will close the regular season on Wednesday, October 24 at 2:30 p.m. when it hosts #21 ranked Rutgers University-Camden, the defending NJAC champions, at the Robert L. McNulty Memorial Soccer Field. It will be Senior Day as NJCU honors Tejada, a two-time All-NJAC selection, and midfielder NANA KOFI KUSI (Newark, NJ/Kumasi Academy (Ghana), also a past All-NJAC performer.