JERSEY CITY, N.J. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | New Jersey City University junior goalkeeper Dominique Jackson (Bayonne, NJ/Bayonne) made 13 saves, including back-to-back stops late in the 69th minute and another diving stop in the 82nd, and sophomore center midfielder Mallensy Vargas (North Bergen, NJ/Memorial) bent a game-winning free kick over the Rutgers University-Camden wall in the 73rd minute as the Gothic Knight women's soccer team won their first New Jersey Athletic Conference game of the season, 2-1, on October 7  at the Robert L. McNulty Memorial Soccer Field.
 
For the ninth time in the last 11 meetings, NJCU (3-8-0, 1-4-0 NJAC)  and Rutgers-Camden (5-7-0, 1-4-0 NJAC) saw the annual matchup decided by just one goal as Vargas notched three points—an assist on the first goal of the game in the 24th minute before winning it with her ninth goal of the season and 22nd of her career. She has scored nine of NJCU's 11 games on the season with four coming in NJAC play. All five of her shots were on goal.
 
Rutgers-Camden had the shots advantage (24-15) but saw its two-game winning streak snapped. Its Achilles' heel were offsides calls—six in each half and 12 total whistles in the game.
 
NJCU led 1-0 at halftime in an NJAC game for the second time this season. Jackson registered her fourth effort of double-digit saves this season.
 
Junior forward Katherin Merino (Harrison, NJ/Harrison) scored her first goal of the season in the 24th minute, becoming just the second player other than Vargas to net a shot this season.
 
Senior forward Cassidy McSorley (Haddon Township, N.J.) tallied her second goal of the season to tie the game for Rutgers-Camden in the 57th minute. Camden senior keeper Katie Gurba (Westampton, N.J.) stopped eight shots.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED:
NJCU's goal came on its fifth shot of the game as Vargas took the role of playmaker, sliding a ball from the far right wing to the top of the 18 where Merino fired a laser into the near left side at the 23:19 mark.
 
Camden had several opportunities to even it. Early in the 30th minute, sophomore forward Nicolette Stafford (Swedesboro, N.J.) had a one-on-one with Jackson who challenged the play and forced the shot wide right. In the 33rd minute, sophomore midfielder Kacie Walton (Columbus, N.J.) collected a short corner and narrowly missed high over the upper left corner. Jackson also came 10 yards out of the box in the 42nd minute to breakup a potential streak to the net.
 
Rutgers-Camden had several high-risk scoring chances in the second half but only capitalized once. In the 49th minute, Camden, centered a ball from the left wing into the box. On the broken play, senior midfielder Kaitlyn Ennis (Columbus, N.J.) only could get a weak shot off.
 
Late in the 56th minute, NJCU had chance to extend the lead to 2-0 when Gurba couldn't field a cross cleanly, but NJCU couldn't settle the loose ball and its only shot, by freshman midfielder Catarina Borralho (Newark, NJ/Science Park), was saved.
 
Camden would tie it at the 56:58 mark. McSorley stole the ball at the top of the 18th, spun to her right against a defender, and chipped a high shot over Jackson into the right side of the goal.
 
The game remained tied thanks to a Jackson's highlight-reel shot-stopping. Late in the 68th minute, freshman forward Meghan Wachira (Plainsboro, N.J.), who entered the game with 10 goals overall and as a potential NJAC Rookie of the Year, received a pass, burst through the right wing and slotted an angled shot on goal. Jackson laid out to make a diving save then sprung to her feet to stop a point-blank rebound attempt inside the six by junior midfielder Melissa Peel (Gibbstown, N.J.).
 
Just over three minutes later, NJCU took the lead for good. Gurba was called for a handball outside the 18 and after a yellow card, NJCU was awarded a free kick a ball's length outside the top center of the box. Facing a five-woman wall, Vargas bent a ridiculous shot over the wall and into the upper near right corner.
 
Camden had two quality chances to tie it but could not find the equalizer. In the 79th minute, Camden had a 2-on-1 with Jackson inside the box but Wachira missed high. Then, with 8:34 remaining, Stafford received a pass, dribbled into the box and fired a shot but Jackson darted off her line for a sprawling block of the shot to ultimately preserve the one-goal margin. NJCU had a pair of scoring chances in the final 10 minutes, including a flick over Gurba by freshman forward Aracelli Carranza (North Bergen, NJ/North Bergen) that was narrowly wide left.
 

QUOTABLE KNIGHTS:

• Post-game interview with Dominique Jackson (Bayonne, NJ/Bayonne), Katherin Merino (Harrison, NJ/Harrison) and Mallensy Vargas (North Bergen, NJ/Memorial): https://www.facebook.com/NJCUGothicKnights/videos/10155312369874915/

 
OF NOTE:

• Series: 18th meeting; Rutgers-Camden leads all-time, 13-5. NJCU has won the last two meetings.
• It was the third time this year NJCU had a 1-0 lead at home against an NJAC team (Rowan, September 16; William Paterson, September 30).
• In the series, nine of the last 11 meetings since 2007 have been decided by a one-goal margin, including four 1-0 outcomes. The only exceptions were in 2013 and 2015.
• Katherin Merino (Harrison, NJ/Harrison) scored her 10th career goal. She is the 18th player in school history with double-digit totals in career goals.

 
UP NEXT:
NJCU has two home games remaining and its first will be on Monday, October 9 when it hosts Brooklyn College at 4 p.m. Prior to the game, NJCU will honor its three seniors—co-captains Lexi Mescavage (Bayonne, NJ/Saint Dominic Academy) and Catarina Teodosio (Newark, NJ/Newark East Side) and midfielder Madison Castellanos (Morristown, NJ/Morristown). It will be the third meeting between NJCU and Brooklyn (3-8, Lost 4). The all-time series is even, 1-1, with NJCU winning 2-1 last season in Jersey City on October 29, 2016.
 
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