WAYNE, NJ (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | New Jersey City University freshman forward Laura Bustamante (Rockaway, NJ/Butler) knocked home the rebound of a shot by junior co-captain and center midfielder Amanda Filippone (Kenilworth, NJ/David Brearley) in the 72^nd minute to cut the deficit in half, but William Paterson University held off NJCU, 2-1, in the New Jersey Athletic Conference and regular season finales for both schools on October 29.
 
WPU (5-10-3, 2-7-0 NJAC) outshot the Gothic Knights, 17-5, largely based on a 9-1 first-half advantage. NJCU ends its 22^nd season of competition at 3-10-2 and 0-9-0 in the NJAC, dropping its final eight games (winless in 10). The Knights dropped two 2-1 decisions in league play in the final two weeks.
 
Three-time All-New Jersey Athletic Conference senior goalkeeper Brittany Hoffman (McMurray, PA/Peters Township) made eight saves on 10 shots on goal, to finish her distinguished NJCU career with 587 saves. WPU keeper Angela Sandelli had two saves.
 Trailing 2-0 at the 71:03 mark, Filippone launched a long shot from the right flank that Sandelli stopped but couldn't control and Bustamante, a two-time NJAC Rookie of the Week selection, jumped on the loose ball and finished at the left post. Bustamante and Filippone each finished the year as the club's co-scoring leaders with five goals, two assists and 12 points.
 
After 42 scoreless minutes, the Pioneers broke through with 2:59 remaining before halftime when sophomore midfielder Mallory Barber (Bridgewater, NJ/Bridgewater Raritan) launched a corner kick from the left flagstick to a waiting Tori Woetzel (Wyckoff, NJ/Ramapo) in the middle of the box. The sophomore back headed it to the inside of the left post for a 1-0 lead.
 
Barber, who did not start and was one of only two WP subs to see the pitch, was involved in both tallies. She pushed the lead to two in the 56^th minute when she finished a cross from junior midfielder Gina Cowdrick (Island Heights, NJ/Central Regional) for her first goal as a Pioneer.
 
Filippone narrowly missed to the right of the goal on a shot in the 86^th minute in NJCU's final true scoring opportunity down a goal. She had three of NJCU's five shots, putting a pair of chances on frame.
 
OF NOTE:

• William Paterson leads the all-time series, 17-2.
• Brittany Hoffman upped her career saves total to 587.
• It was NJCU's eighth straight loss; the Knights are winless in their last 10 contests (0-9-1).

 
WHAT'S NEXT?
The 2015 women's soccer schedule will be announced in the early summer.