CAMDEN, N.J. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | New Jersey City University freshman midfielder Maria Calle (Elizabeth, N.J./Hamilton Prep Academy) scored her second and third goals of the season—both as the result of a penalty kick including the rebound of an attempt in the 105th minute of double overtime as the NJCU women's soccer team kept alive its New Jersey Athletic Conference tournament hopes with a 3-2 golden goal victory at Rutgers University-Camden on October 8.
 
The Gothic Knights improve to 5-4-1 and at 2-3-0 find themselves in a four-way tie for fifth place in the conference standings with Kean University, Rutgers-Camden, and William Paterson with four games left in the league. The top six teams qualify for the postseason tournament. Rutgers-Camden dropped to 4-6-2 overall and 2-3-0 NJAC.
 
Freshman midfielder Karen Tuesta (Clifton, N.J./Clifton) scored her first collegiate goal for her older brother's squad to tie the game in the 74th minute as she chipped a one-timer of a cleared corner kick opportunity into the left side to the game at 2-2 and forced overtime.
 
The Scarlet Raptors outshot NJCU, 25-17, but the Knights were able to force overtime for the third straight game before finding the golden goal in the second overtime period. Junior goalkeeper Paula Viana (Elizabeth, N.J./Hamilton Prep Academy) collected 12 saves in the victory as the NJCU defense also caught its NJAC foes offsides seven times.
 
All three of Calle's goals this season have either come via penalty kick or the rebound of one. When Rutgers-Camden double and triple-teamed NJAC Rookie of the Week and freshman center mid Mallensy Vargas (North Bergen, N.J./Memorial) who had five shots (two on goal) throughout the game, it gave Calle opportunities. The reserve played 52 minutes off the bench and all four of her shots were on frame.
 
Catherine Fiore scored her fourth goal of the season in the 24th minute off a Haylee Loveland assist and tied 1-1 at the half, Aubrey Andrews headed in a Melissa Peel corner in the 62nd minute. Katie Gurba made seven saves, including a PK, for Camden which also had two team saves.
 
Each team hit a post once in the game—Fiore struck the crossbar in the 57th minute and Vargas did the same in the 88th minute on the final shot of regulation. Fiore had a game-high nine shots.

 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Rutgers-Camden controlled the game early on as the NJCU defense was tested from the opening whistle. Viana was forced to make five saves in the first 23 minutes. Fiore headed in a well-played ball that came from the left side of the field by Loveland at the 23:46 mark.
 
For the remainder of the first half, NJCU prevented Camden from registering any more shots as they pressed forward for a potential equalizer. The Knights earned their first of two penalty kick opportunities on the day as an NJCU player was fouled inside the box. Calle scored her second goal of the season as she buried the ball past Gurba at 42:37 to tie the game. Camden had a 9-3 margin in shots in the first half.
 
The second half began with high energy as play went back and forth on both sides of the field. In the first 15 minutes of the half, there was nine shots between the sides with Camden outshooting NJCU, 5-4. Despite not being able to take advantage of its earlier second half chances, Rutgers capitalized on a corner kick opportunity at the 61:02 mark when Andrews headed home Peel's attempt on the Scarlet Raptors' second corner of the day.
Up 2-1, Rutgers-Camden continued to press forward as they put NJCU on its heels. However, the Gothic Knights backline battled as they defended three corner kicks in a two-minute period. Two of the three corners didn't lead to a scoring opportunity with Andrews heading one over the crossbar on the third chance.
 
NJCU shifted the momentum back in its favor as they pushed into their own offensive end. Tuesta scored off the Gothic Knights' first corner kick opportunity in the game as she collected a failed clear by the Raptors and chipped the ball into the goal to tie it, 2-2.
 
Vargas fired two shots in the game's final 18 minutes of regulation with the second shot hitting the crossbar with under three minutes to play. RCU had a slight 12-11 margin in shots in the second period.
 
The first overtime period was controlled by Camden which had all three shots. Viana denied Peel twice and Fiore's shot went wide right.
 
However, NJCU would flip the script in the second overtime as it had three of the four shots and found the game-winning goal 4:53 into the final period. The Gothic Knights earned their second penalty kick of the game and Gurba stopped Calle's initial attempt but was unable to collect the ball safely and Calle fired her blocked shot into the back of the net.
 
#QUOTABLEKNIGHTS:
Head Coach Anthony Tuesta on another overtime win: "The team played well especially in the second half.  We didn't give up after a slow start and I am happy with the win. I'm proud of the way we learned from our mistakes from our last game [2-1 double overtime loss at William Paterson] and they were able to get the win today."
 
OF NOTE:

• Series: RU-Camden leads the all-time series, 13-4.
• NJCU is 11-14-15 all-time in 39 overtime games. NJCU is 2-1-1 in overtime this season.
• This was NJCU's third straight game that went into at least one overtime period and the third double-overtime game of the season.
• Paula Viana made double digit saves in a game for the second time this season with 12 saves; she previously made 16 against TCNJ (September 23).

 
WHAT'S NEXT?
NJCU returns home for a three-game homestand as it hosts Kean University in an NJAC matchup with major playoff implications on Wednesday, October 12 (3:00 p.m.). Kean leads the all-time series, 21-1.