JERSEY CITY, N.J. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | Rutgers University-Camden scored twice with off corners and capitalized on an own goal for a 3-0 lead and defeated the New Jersey City University men's soccer team, 5-1, in a New Jersey Athletic Conference on October 8 at the Robert L. McNulty Memorial Soccer Field.
 
NJCU (8-5-1, 0-5-0 NJAC) did get in the scoring column when sophomore forward Omar Ventura (Fairview, N.J./Cliffside Park) netted his 10th goal of the season in the 68th minute to snap a multi-game Gothic Knight scoreless drought. Rutgers-Camden improved to 7-2-3 and 3-1-1 in the league and with 10 points, was tied for first place in the league after Saturday's early NJAC games.
 
NJCU narrowly outshot Camden in the first half, 9-8, before the Raptors held a 20-17 final shots total. Camden was more accurate with 10 of its 20 shots on goal; NJCU had five shots on frame. Much of the game was played in moderate to heavy rain and players were slipping on the wet grass.
 
Senior back Dan Gilbert (Cinnaminson, N.J./Cinnaminson) scored his first two goals of the season, both off corners while junior back Travis Chigi (Flemington, N.J./Hunterdon Central) and freshman midfielder Jacob Roselle (Barrington, N.J./Haddon Heights) each netted their first goals. Junior forward Aaron Muse (Lumberton, N.J./Rancocas Valley) contributed two assists for the Raptors.
 
Also for RCU, junior midfielder Sean Welch (Medford, N.J./Shawnee) and junior midfielder Steve Karakitsios (Sicklerville, N.J./Timber Creek) each produced single assists. Freshman back Ryan Stelicos (East Brunswick, N.J./East Brunswick) earned his second assist of the season for the Knights.
 
Sophomore goalkeeper James Brett (Palmyra, N.J./Palmyra) made four saves for RCU. NJCU freshman goalkeeper Adam Cassidy (Jersey City, N.J./County Prep) made five stops.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
RCU got on the board in the 14th minute. After the referee ruled that Cassidy did not keep a ball in play when he dove on the endline to cover a sprawling save on a shot by junior midfielder Clayton Taylor (Mendham, N.J./West Morris-Mendham), the Raptors were awarded a corner. Two headers in a scrum were blocked but NJCU couldn't clear it and the rebound of a header attempt by Muse fell to the feet of Gilbert who found the net on the third attempt.
 
In the 31st minute, a physical play freed Muse on the near endline and as the teams played on, his cross into the box was deflected into the net by the heel of an NJCU defender. The Raptors held that 2-0 lead at the break.
 
In the 52nd minute, Gilbert struck again, scoring on a header in traffic in front off a corner from the left endline by Welch.
 
NJCU got on the board at the 67:46 mark when Stelicos launched a long throw in from the near sideline to Ventura who kneed home a shot inside the near post. That snapped a three and a half game scoreless drought for NJCU at 363:51.
 
But the Raptors added two more tallies—one in the 76th minute on a beautiful play by Muse who drew two defenders and the keeper to him on the near right endline before sending a cross inside the six to Chigi who knocked in a wide open shot. Roselle narrowly avoided an offsides call in the 85th minute and drilled his first career goal top shelf on the near right side off a pass from midfield by Karakitsios.
 
OF NOTE:

• Series: 40th meeting. Rutgers-Camden leads the all-time series, 24-8-8.
• Rutgers-Camden is unbeaten in the last 14 meetings with NJCU (10-0-4).
• NJCU is 1-4-1 at home this season. NJCU is also 1-4-1 since the injury to senior midfielder Kevin Cavalcanti (Teaneck, N.J./Paramus Catholic).
• Omar Ventura becomes the 25th different player to score at least 10 goals in a season in the 58-year history of the program. It's the 32nd time in school history a player has reached double figures in goals.

 
WHAT'S NEXT?
NJCU begins a three-game road trip on Wednesday, October 12 (7 p.m.) under the lights at Kean University in Union, N.J. Kean leads the all-time series, 36-18-3, and has won the last two meetings.