JERSEY CITY, N.J. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | Ramapo College scored 55 seconds into the game and playing a man up for more than 70 minutes still needed its goalkeeper to make three diving saves as the Roadrunners survived for a 1-0 win over New Jersey City University in a New Jersey Athletic Conference men's soccer game on October 9 at the Robert L. McNulty Soccer Field.
 
After Ramapo (8-8-0, 3-4-0 NJAC) nearly scored on a blitz off the opening kickoff that was thwarted on a kick save by NJCU (4-8-2, 0-6-1 NJAC, lost 6) rookie goalkeeper Eric Lopes Silva (Newark, NJ/Newark East Side), the ball went to Ramapo senior keeper Ryan Sprague (Bayonne, N.J.) off a free kick. He sent a long punt downfield, and Ramapo got a header on it in the middle of the field in front of the circle. Sophomore midfielder Ariton Mimini (Hawthorne, N.J.) flicked it onto the near left wing and junior forward Guilherme DeNovaes (Long Branch, N.J.) ran onto it at the 18, unleashing a cross goal shot into the far right side netting.
 
DeNovaes' fourth goal of the year stood up after an NJCU defender received a red card in the 20th minute and the Gothic Knights played a man down the final 70:17 of action.
 
Sprague, the current NJAC Defensive Player of the Week, made four saves as NJCU was shutout for the second straight game. Lopes Silva made three saves to keep it a one-goal game.
 
Ramapo had a chance to extend the lead in the eighth minute but a free kick by junior forward Trevor Albrecht (Mahwah, N.J.) from 24 yards out hit the right post and the rebound blocked wide. In the 40th minute, freshman forward Korben Torres (Roxbury, N.J.) had a 1-on-1 breakaway with Lopes Silva who came outside the 18 to challenge it, but his attempt to chip it over the NJCU pressure missed wide left. In the 42nd minute, Lopes Silva made another kick save to snuff out a shot by sophomore forward Joseph Fala (Cape May Court House, N.J.) in a 4-on-3 break. Ramapo outshot NJCU, 13-5, in the first 45 minutes.
 
However, the second half was largely controlled by NJCU. Early in the 49th minute, freshman back Mike Almeida (Kearny, NJ/Kearny)'s header appeared heading in but Sprague backpedaled towards his line and while falling backwards towards the left post somehow tipped it up and over the crossbar.
 
In the 54th minute, freshman defensive center midfielder Walter Salmeron (North Bergen, NJ/North Bergen)'s header towards the near post was again stopped by Sprague on a full-extended dive to tip it wide. In the 56th minute, NJCU junior midfielder Ron Jones (Montclair, NJ/Montclair) spun past a defender but Sprague blocked a hard shot right at top of the six—his third big-time stop to preserve the shutout.
 
NJCU had one final chance with 49 seconds left. A header by sophomore center midfielder Jose Salazar (Medellin, Colombia/Union City) found Salmeron at the top of the box. He unleashed a shot that narrowly whizzed wide of the far left post.
 
OF NOTE:

• Series: 46th meeting; Ramapo leads all-time, 22-19-5. Ramapo has won the last five meetings.
• NJCU was eliminated from NJAC Tournament contention with the loss.

 
UP NEXT:

• NJCU plays its third straight home game on Monday, October 16 at 3 p.m. when it hosts John Jay College (7-6-0, 6-1-0 CUNYAC). The Bloodhounds are in second place in the CUNYAC. NJCU leads the all-time series, 15-2 (86-12 goal differential), but John Jay won the last meeting, 3-1, on September 4, 2015 in Jersey City.

 
GOTHIC KNIGHTS on SOCIAL MEDIA:
For the latest on NJCU men's soccer and #NJCUMSOC, follow the Gothic Knights on social media on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and SnapChat. Preferred hashtags are GothicGameDay and GothicFamily.