JERSEY CITY, N.J. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | New Jersey City University surprised many when it led No. 3/10 ranked Rowan University, 2-1, at halftime before the unbeaten Profs rallied, scoring twice in a span of 31 seconds in the 50th minute and taking advantage of an own goal in a 4-2 victory over the Gothic Knights in the New Jersey Athletic Conference opener for both schools on September 17 at the Robert L. McNulty Memorial Soccer Field.
 
In a battle of previous undefeated and untied teams, NJCU (7-1-0, 0-1-0 NJAC), after a record-breaking 7-0-0 start to the season following two one-win campaigns the previous two years, struck 1:17 into the first half and again just 70 seconds prior to halftime.
 
But Rowan (7-0-0, 1-0-0 NJAC), ranked No. 3 by D3soccer.com, No. 10 by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America, and No. 2 in the NCAA Division III South Atlantic Region, outshot the Knights 14-2 in the second half and the Knights couldn't recover after a 64th minute own goal.
 
Sophomore forward Theo Sanoh (Jersey City, N.J./Dickinson) scored his sixth goal of the season and freshman midfielder Bashar Elsherif (Princeton Junction, N.J./West Windsor-Plainsboro South) tallied his first collegiate score with senior midfielder Davauni Brown (Newark, N.J./Newark Tech) and freshman forward Erick Nascimento (Miami, Fla./Alonzo Tracy Mourning) assisting on the two strikes.
 
Sophomore forward Shane Doherty (Delran, N.J./Delran) scored twice and had five points—netting the first game-tying goal in the 23rd minute and the game-winner in the 50th minute on a penalty kick after a foul in the box on a breakaway. He also picked up an assist as part of a double-assisted game-tying second goal by sophomore back Will Sjaastad (Allentown, N.J./Allentown).
 
Junior midfielders Jake Conners (Manalapan, N.J./Manalapan) and Tyler Logar (Sewell, N.J./Washington Township) each had an assist for Rowan.

Freshman goalkeeper Adam Cassidy (Jersey City, N.J./County Prep) made seven saves to keep NJCU in the game. Sophomore Kyle Dennis (South Plainfield, N.J./South Plainfield) had four saves for the Profs.

In a very physical contest, there were 53 fouls whistled—38 against Rowan. The Profs had a 10-0 margin in corner kicks.

HOW IT HAPPENED

NJCU struck first just 1:17 into the game. Brown eluded several defenders on the far right sideline, raced into the right corner and zipped a cross on the ground across the six to Sanoh, just a few strides inside the right post. He was there to bury the opportunity and NJCU led 1-0 in the blink of an eye. The assist was his fifth of the season.
 
Rowan tied it at 22:46 as Conners slipped a pass onto the left wing to Doherty who beat Cassidy with a high, hard shot to tie it at 1-1. Doherty had hit the post with a shot just a minute earlier.
 
Still tied at 1-1 approaching the final minute, Nascimento and Elsherif, both late second-half subs, connected for a beautiful goal. Similar to the first tally, Nascimento took the ball to the far right wing. This time, Elsherif came in backdoor unmarked against two defenders, motioned to Nascimento to play the ball across the six, and when he did, was there to bury the left-footed shot. NJCU led 2-1 at the half; Rowan held an 11-9 edge in shots in the period.
 
But in the second half, NJCU came out flat defensively and Rowan had the better of the opportunities. The tying goal came at 49:12. On a ball headed out of the box, Logar settled it, volleyed it back into the box and it hit the chest of Doherty 12 yards out, falling at the feet of Sjaastad, who knocked it home on the upper left side.
 
Doherty earned a penalty kick when he zipped down the field from midfield, eluded a slide tackle from a defender and was tripped up by Cassidy in the box, trying to jar loose the ball on the breakaway. Doherty calmly finished the penalty kick to the far right post.
 
Any chance of a comeback by NJCU was thwarted at 63:45 as Doherty dribbled along the near left endline and tried to center a pass. However, an NJCU defender, attempting to clear it, did so into the far side netting for an own goal. NJCU was limited by the Rowan defense the rest of the way.
 
OF NOTE:

• Series: Rowan leads, 39-15-4. Rowan has won the last six meetings since 2011.
• The loss snaps NJCU's seven-game winning streak. It was the longest winning streak since a seven-game streak from October 1 to 22, 2007 (streak ended with a tie on October 24, 2007 at Rutgers-Camden).
• NJCU is receiving votes in the NSCAA/NCAA Division III South Atlantic Region for the first time since 2008.

 
WHAT'S NEXT?
Despite the first loss, NJCU will seek to improve to 8-1-0 on Monday, September 19 when it faces York College (NY) in a non-conference game at 6 p.m. at the Aviator Sports Center (Field 2) in Brooklyn. The Cardinals come in at 0-5-0 (lost last six) and outscored 19-4 thus far. NJCU's lone win in 2015 was a 4-1 decision against York in Jersey City on September 8, 2015. NJCU leads the all-time series, 10-1 (54-9 goal differential).