JERSEY CITY, N.J. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | Fresh off a 7-0 victory in which 25 different players saw the pitch, the New Jersey City University men's soccer team (6-8-0, 0-7-0 NJAC) will play host to the Stockton University Ospreys (7-7-2, 3-2-2 NJAC) in the penultimate NJAC match of the season for both clubs. The game is set to start at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 20 at the Robert L. McNulty Memorial Soccer Field.
 
Live Stats: https://njcugothicknights.com/sidearmstats/msoc/summary
Live Video: http://vcloud.volarvideo.com/broadcast/embed/93437?slug=2018-10-20-njcu-msoccer-vs-stockton
Play-by-Play Announcer: Ira Thor
 
The Gothic Knights rolled over York University (NY) their last time out, with sophomore forward Luis Laing (Jersey City, NJ/Dickinson) tallying a hat trick—his first three goals goal with the Gothic Knights. NJCU also got goals from Mike Almeida (Kearny, NJ/Kearny) (3rd), Hugo Herrera (Jersey City, NJ/Ferris) (also the first of his NJCU career), Edric De Paula (Newark, NJ/Newark Tech) (6th), and Mateo Egas (Jersey City, NJ/University Academy Charter)—the third NJCU player to score for the first time as a collegian.
 
The last home game for the Knights was Saturday, October 6 against NJAC foe Rowan University (11-4-0, 5-2-0 NJAC), and saw the Profs run away with a 6-0 victory.
 
Last Time the Sides Met:
When the two conference opponents met in 2017, the first half was a scoreless affair, but the Ospreys pulled away with four goals in the second half, the first of which came in the 64th minute. While it took 60+ minutes to find a goal, Stockton controlled most of the play, outshooting the Knights 29-4 for the match. Only nine of those 29 shots were on target, but they also had nine corners to NJCU's one corner.
 
The Ospreys collected goals from four different players, none of which came from seniors. Only two of the four goal scorers are back with this year's squad, however.
 
Stockton Key Players:
In fact, neither of the two returning goal scorers have been among the key contributors to the Stockton success in 2018. The team has been led by freshman forward Villy Fortulus (Winslow Twp., N.J.), who has started 15 of the team's 17 matches this season and is tied for the team lead in both goals (7) as well as points (15). Tied with Fortulus is junior midfielder Christian Bik (Vineland, N.J.), who has been a super sub supreme, starting only six matches, but tallying seven goals and an assist, nonetheless.
 
Senior midfielder Eucario Solano (Galloway, N.J.) controls the middle of the pitch for Stockton, having started all 17 matches, with four goals and three assists along the way.
 
On the defensive side of things, junior Kyle Leach (Pitman, N.J.) and senior Dan Marino (Turnersville, N.J.) have started all 17 matches, while junior Larry Abanilla (Union, N.J.) isn't far behind with 16 starts in his 17 games played.
 
In goal for the Ospreys, they have split time between junior Michael Lescano (Union, N.J.) and sophomore Dino Gromitsaris (Bordentown, N.J.). Lescano has started seven of the last eight, but Gromitsaris received the most recent start. Lescano has a slight edge in terms of GAA and save percentage for the 2018 season.
 
Common Opponents:
All NJAC: Ramapo - Both teams fell 2-0; William Paterson - NJCU fell 2-1 in OT, Stockton won 2-1; Kean - NJCU lost 1-0, Stockton won 1-0; Rowan - NJCU lost 6-0, Stockton won 3-1; Montclair St. - NJCU lost 4-0, Stockton drew 1-1; TCNJ - NJCU fell 2-0; Stockton drew 0-0.
 
2018 NJCU Leaders:

• Goals: Theo Sanoh (Jersey City, NJ/Dickinson) (8)
• Assists: Sanoh (3)
• Points: Sanoh (19)
• Minutes: Mike Almeida (Kearny, NJ/Kearny) (1,254)
• Shots: Sanoh (50)
• Game-Winning Goals: Sanoh (4) (17th in Division III)
• Wins: Erik Lopes Silva (5)
• Saves: Lopes Silva (57)

 
NOTES:

• Series record: This will be the 46th time the two sides have met in their history, with Stockton leading the all-time series 32-7-6.

 
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