JERSEY CITY, NJ (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | Three-time All-New Jersey Athletic Conference goalkeeper Brittany Hoffman (McMurray, PA/Peters Township) made 12 saves and held Kean University off the board for more than 70 minutes before the Cougars struck in the 71^st minute and added tallies in the 79^th and 83^rd frames to seal it as Kean knocked off New Jersey City University, 3-0, in New Jersey Athletic Conference women's soccer action on October 1 at the Robert L. McNulty Memorial Soccer Field.
 
In a game played partially under light rain, Kean (7-4-0, 1-3-0 NJAC) broke out of a three-plus game scoring drought when it scored on a failed clear at the 70:07 mark to snap a 350:18 scoreless streak. NJCU (3-4-2, 0-3-0 NJAC) was shutout for the second straight outing.
 
Hoffman made nine of her 12 saves in the first half, including several 1-on-1 breakaways and reached double figures in saves for the 23^rd time in her career and third time this season.
 
Freshman forward Emily Jurcsek (Edison, NJ/Middlesex County Academy) netted what proved to be the game-winner when a Gothic Knight defender could not clear a ball that skipped into the box. She stepped in front of the defender before poking a shot past a diving Hoffman on the ground into the right side of the net.
 Senior forward Sam Marchetti (Wall Township, NJ/Wall) and junior forward Deanna Columbia (Howell, NJ/Howell) scored the second and third tallies with the Monmouth County products each assisting on the others goal.
 
Freshman back Gianna Sacchetti (Galloway, NJ/Absegami) set up the first scoring play when she tracked down a clear in the middle of the field and dumped a pass onto the right wing. Columbia ran onto the pass, took one dribble and chipped a pass onto the feet of Marchetti all alone inside the six where she buried an uncontested shot into the upper left corner for her fourth goal of the year at 78:30. The assist was Columbia's first point of the season.
 
At 82:22 the two exchanged gifts as Marchetti slipped a thru ball through three defenders on the right wing. The speedy Columbia beat the Gothic Knights to the ball, took one dribble, and laced a right-footed shot inside the far post for a 3-0 lead and her first goal of the year.
 
Hoffman had done an incredible job shutting out the Cougars under heavy pressure. She stopped a fifth minute breakaway by senior midfielder Carly Snyder (Point Pleasant, NJ/Point Pleasant Boro) and a 27^th minute 1-on-1 in the middle of the box with sophomore forward Kayla Birth (Parsippany, NJ/Parsippany). She also made a diving stop on Marchetti in the 33^rd minute and cut off a 43^rd minute break by freshman forward Kaitlyn Pallitto (Bayonne, NJ/Bayonne).
 
In the 49^th minute she smothered a breakaway by senior midfielder Shelby Pedersen (Ewing, NJ/Notre Dame). Meanwhile, her aggressiveness cut off numerous crosses and eliminated chances as she sprinted outside the 18.

Two-time NJAC Rookie of the Week Laura Bustamante (Rockaway, NJ/Butler) had three of NJCU's five shots, putting two on goal. Junior keeper KC Nunez (Fair Lawn, NJ/Immaculate Heart Academy) made two saves in the shutout.

 
OF NOTE:

• Kean leads the all-time series, 20-1.
• Kean picked up its first yellow card of the season in game No. 11.
• Brittany Hoffman upped her career saves total to 515.
• Other than a penalty kick against The Sage Colleges on September 25, NJCU has not scored a run of play goal since Amanda Filippone's golden goal against Sarah Lawrence on September 27—a span of 380:00.

 
 
WHAT'S NEXT?
The Gothic Knights visit rival Rutgers University-Newark on Saturday, October 4 at 7:30 p.m. at Alumni Field in Newark. After that, NJCU will be off for a week before facing No. 10/10 ranked The College of New Jersey on October 11 in Jersey City.
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