JERSEY CITY, NJ (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | Three-time defending New Jersey Athletic Conference champion Rutgers University-Camden, the 2013 NCAA Division III national runner-up, struck on headers in the 26^th and 59^th minutes before putting the game away with an 81^st minute tally as the Scarlet Raptors knocked off the New Jersey City University's men's soccer team, 3-0, in a September 27 conference game at the Robert L. McNulty Memorial Soccer Field.
 
RU-Camden (6-4, 2-0 NJAC), which entered the game unranked after being No. 2 in the NSCAA national preseason poll, registered its third shutout of the season while scoring at least three goals in a contest for the fourth time.
 
NJCU (1-7-3, 0-2 NJAC), was shutout for the third straight game and held scoreless for the sixth time this year. The Gothic Knights are winless in seven straight. Camden outshot NJCU, 22-12, attempting 11 shots in each period.
 
All three Raptor goal scorers nabbed their first tallies of the year with senior back Nick DiNapoli (Bernardsville, NJ/Bernards), freshman midfielder Clayton Taylor (Mendham, NJ/West Morris-Mendham) and freshman midfielder Steve Karakitsios (Sicklerville, NJ/Timber Creek) each putting away shots.
 
Junior midfielder Grant Taylor (Mendham, NJ/West Morris-Mendham), junior midfield Connor Hurff (Sewell, NJ/St. Augustine Prep) and junior forward Mike Ryan (Marlton, NJ/Cherokee) picked up assists. Ryan had a game-high six shots and twice hit the post.
 In defeat, junior converted goalkeeper Tyler Krychkowski (North Arlington, NJ/North Arlington) set aside seven shots. Sophomore Eric Bumbera (Wall, NJ/Wall) made two saves in 80:40 of action before freshman Sean Matias (Vineland, NJ/Millville) played the final nine minutes without facing a shot on goal.
 
NJCU best scoring chance came in the 16^th minute when freshman back Mohamed Elamin (Jersey City, NJ/Ferris) found himself 1-on-1 adjacent to a scrum after a free kick into the box by junior midfielder Christopher Segovia (North Bergen, NJ/Memorial). But Elamin couldn't get a clean shot off as Bumbera kept it scoreless.
 
Camden got the only goal it would need at 25:38 as Grant Taylor delivered a free kick into the box from 30 yards and DiNapoli leaped to pinpoint a perfect header over the Gothic Knight keeper and into the upper right corner. It was a 1-0 contest at the half.
 
Krychkowski cut off a number of dangerous crosses in the contest. But when Hurff crossed a ball into the box from the left side Clayton Taylor's leaping header redirected off an NJCU defender and inside the right post for a 2-0 edge. Krychkowski was in position to make the save had the carom not occurred.
 
The Raptors capped their scoring at 80:40. Just 58 seconds after entering the game for the first time, Karakitsios was on the receiving end of a cross on the ground through the box from Ryan, before burying a shot from the far left wing into the near right side netting. Krychkowski was able to get a piece of the ball but the momentum was too much to stay out of the net.
 
Ryan hit the left post in the 31^st minute when he ran onto a long chip over the defense and flicked a shot over a charging Krychkowski, who did a good job to limit the angle on the breakaway. Ryan later hit the right post for the second time in the 65^th minute on a breakaway off a throw in.
 
 
NJCU is back on the field on Wednesday, October 1 at 7:30 p.m. when it visits Kean University in an NJAC contest under the lights in Union, NJ.