UNION, N.J. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | Junior midfielder Katherin Merino (Harrison, NJ/Harrison) scored for the third consecutive game but the New Jersey City University women's soccer team could not mount a second-half comeback, dropping a New Jersey Athletic Conference road game to Kean University, 3-1, under the lights at Kean Alumni Stadium on October 11.
 
Merino, who did not score in NJCU's first 10 games this year, produced her fourth goal in three games in the 70th minute when she and Gothic Knight sophomore center midfielder Mallensy Vargas (North Bergen, NJ/Memorial) teamed for a 2-on-2 breakaway on the left side of the field. Vargas' chalked up an assist for the third straight game, giving her 27 points on the year—second most in the league and three off the NJAC lead.
 
Kean (10-4-0, 4-2-0 NJAC) outshot NJCU, 29-10, but junior goalkeeper Dominique Jackson (Bayonne, NJ/Bayonne) snuffed out 14 shots, matching her career high while reaching double figures in saves for the fifth time season. She had seven saves in each half. NJCU fell to 4-9 (1-5 NJAC) with the loss.
 
Kean led 2-0 at halftime. It struck midway through the 12th minute when senior midfielder Mallory Noordeloos (Hawthorne, N.J.) scored off a corner kick from senior midfielder Kendall Machak (Pompton Plains, N.J.) for her first goal of the season.
 
Junior forward Sabrina Pascarella (Lawrence, N.J.)'s fourth goal of the season in the 20th minute was the eventual game-winner. Off a defender deflection, she drew Jackson towards her and struck a shot into the open net.
 
The Cougars extended the lead to 3-0 at the 54:20 mark as sophomore midfielder Deana Abdou (Wayne, N.J.) buried a free kick from 25 yards out on the left.
 
NJCU's tally came with 20:12 left in the game but it could not draw closer. Machak later hit the crossbar with exactly six minutes remaining.
 
Sophomore goalkeeper Casey McDonnell (Manahawkin, N.J.) had three saves for the Cougars.
 
OF NOTE:

• Series: 24th meeting. Kean leads, 23-1.

 
UP NEXT:

• NJCU continues NJAC action on Saturday, October 14 (1 p.m.) when it faces Ramapo College (4-8, 2-4 NJAC) in Mahwah. It will be the 25th meeting between the schools; Ramapo leads the all-time series, 19-4-1, including a 2-1 win last year on October 15, 2016 in Jersey City.

 
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