JERSEY CITY, NJ (NJCUGothicKnights.com) |  Junior back Davauni Brown (Newark, NJ/Newark Tech) set up a pair of goals with beautiful, athletic assists and four different players scored as New Jersey City University bounced back from an early deficit to defeat York College (NY), 4-1, in non-conference men's soccer action on September 8 on a very hot pitch at the Robert L. McNulty Memorial Soccer Field.
 
NJCU (1-2) claimed its first win of the season, scoring in the 29th and 31st minutes to stake itself to a 2-1 lead at halftime before adding tallies in the 62nd and 71st frames. York falls to 0-3. NJCU outshot the Cardinals, 29-9, including a decisive 17-4 margin in the second half.
 
A pair of Gothic Knights netted their second goals of the season while two players scored for the first time as collegians. Rookie midfielder Abdou Touray (Jersey City, NJ/Ferris) and senior forward Tyler Krychkowski (North Arlington, NJ/North Arlington) each bagged their second goals in the first three games. Sophomore back Juan Alvarez (Prospect Park, NJ/Passaic County Tech) produced the winning goal—his first NCAA points—while freshman midfielder Theo Sanoh (Jersey City, NJ/Dickinson) capped the scoring with his first college points.
 
After York jumped in front in the 16th minute, Touray entered the game as a sub in the 27th minute and just 1:28 after coming in, filled the stat sheet with his second goal of the season. Brown beat several York defenders to the left endline, played a pinpoint pass across the box where Touray was waiting at 28:05 for a one-timer on the far right post.
 
Just 2:23 later, a corner kick by junior midfielder Kevin Cavalcanti (Teaneck, NJ/Paramus Catholic) was cleared out of the box. But Alvarez was waiting just outside the 18, settled the ball, and drove a top-shelf one-timer to give NJCU the lead for good at 2-1.
 
NJCU added to the lead at 61:45. Brown dribbled onto the near right wing, retreated then circled back before airing out another perfect cross onto the far left post where Krychkowski, who was about to be subbed out of the game on a 93 degree afternoon, was waiting for the one-timer and a 3-1 edge before departing.
 
Less than nine minutes later, Sanoh was awarded a free kick from 30 yards out and he lofted a floater over the head and outstretched arms of York sophomore keeper Masamba Drame, tucking it under the crossbar for the final marker.
 
York's goal came at 15:46 as freshman midfielder Mohammed Hussain was able to get to a ball on the left endline before freshman goalkeeper John Riggs (Robbinsville, NJ/Robbinsville) could cut it off for NJCU. With the net left open, Hussain delivered a pass in front to freshman forward Oscar Rojas for the tap-in and 1-0 lead.
 
Riggs made three saves in 83:22 to garner his first NCAA win; rookie Josuae Harvey-Steriti (Union City, NJ/Union City) got his first NCAA action in net over the final 6:38. Drame stopped 10 shots for the Cardinals.
 
Krychkowski had six shots for NJCU (three on goal) and  junior Juan Arango (Bergenfield, NJ/Bergenfield) had five attempts (two on goal). Sophomore midfielder Luis Cruz (Princeton, NJ/West Windsor-Plainsboro South)  put all four of his shots on frame. Senior back Rohan Burrell had six of York's nine shots.
 
QUOTABLE:
Head Coach Patrick Snyder (fourth season) on the outcome:
 
"It was a good team effort from the boys. Some guys stepped up their game and it helped provide a good result. The backs looked better as a group."
OF NOTE:

• NJCU leads the all-time series, 9-1 (54-9 goal differential).
• First meeting since September 10, 2009.
• Davauni Brown now has three assists in three games. He only had three in 35 career games coming in, including two as a freshman in 2013.
• NJCU snapped a four-game losing streak (19-game winless, including two ties). First win since September 3, 2014 at CCNY (2-1, 2 OT).

 
WHAT'S NEXT?
NJCU plays the final game of four straight home games to open the season on Wednesday, September 9 at 4 p.m. when it hosts three-time defending CUNYAC champion Baruch College (2-1). Baruch defeated NJCU last season, 1-0, in the last meeting on September 10, 2014 in Maspeth, NY. NJCU leads the all-time series, 3-1 (18-4 goals differential).