JERSEY CITY, N.J. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | New Jersey City University (3-2-0) got goals from three different players—and some strong play in net—to defeat Cedar Crest College (3-2-0) by a final score of 3-1 on September 12. In a game played under steady and intensifying rain at the Robert L. McNulty Memorial Soccer Field as part of the inaugural NJCU Faculty and Staff Appreciation Game, the Knights won for the second time this week.  
 
Junior talisman Mallensy Vargas (North Bergen, NJ/Memorial) collected a goal and an assist—her eighth goal this season and 35th of her career— contributing to sophomore midfielder Crystal Tepale (Passaic. NJ/Passaic County Tech)'s goal just 78 seconds into the game. Senior midfielder Karen Tuesta (Clifton, NJ/Clifton)'s 31st minute tally proved to be the winner. Senior midfielder Katherin Merino (Harrison, NJ/Harrison) and junior forward Rosa Bonilla (Roselle Park, NJ/Roselle Park) also picked up assists.
 
The Knights got started early, with Vargas sending Tepale through on net. Tepale calmly finished off the chance, tallying her second goal in as many games and giving the Knights the early 1-0 lead. For Vargas, it was her third assist of the season.
 
NJCU continued to pepper the Cedar Crest goal with shots early on, as the Knights came out with a fire lit beneath them.
 
After the initial onrush, the play began to level out, with the Falcon attack starting to pressure NJCU keeper and freshman Cidney Lee-Sam (Matawan, NJ/Old Bridge). Lee-Sam was more than up to the task, however, coming out aggressively all game, collecting crosses and directing traffic on the back line while making five saves. Senior backs Daniela Betancourt (Secaucus, NJ/Memorial) and Nina Carbonaro (Middlesex, NJ/Middlesex) and sophomore Tiffany Depaiva (Union, NJ/Union) played a full 90 minutes in the back to contribute to the win.
 
As for the Gothic Knight attack, it continued to ebb, highlighted in particular by one weaving run from Vargas where she beat half a dozen Falcon defenders before going down just outside the box.
 
All that pressure paid off in the 31st minute, when Merino and Bonilla played a nice one-two on the right side of the box, opening up space for Tuesta to get a 1-on-1 look at the goal. The senior midfielder and younger sister of NJCU's head coach Anthony Tuesta, showed her maturity with a chip over the keeper, giving Tuesta her second goal of the season and putting NJCU up 2-0.
 
Both teams had a couple good looks, including a shot from Vargas (eight shots, five on target, on the day) that went just wide, but the score remained 2-0 heading into the break.
 
The Falcons had a golden opportunity early in the second half to cut the lead to one, but junior forward Kelsey Kehm (Trappe, PA) dragged the 1-on-1 opportunity just wide of goal.
 
Cedar Crest kept up that pressure, though, and in the 62nd minute, they found their breakthrough, as sophomore forward Daria Warner (Harrisburg, Pa.) put home her sixth goal of the season on a toe poke pass in from sophomore midfielder Erika D'Angelo (Jackson, N.J.).
 
The field continued to tilt Cedar Crest's way in the following minutes, as the Knights picked up a pair of yellow cards, and the Falcons had a couple decent looks.
 
However, that all changed in the 80th minute when Rosa Bonilla (Roselle Park, NJ/Roselle Park) went down in the box, earning the Knights a PK. That penalty was pounded home by Vargas. She has now scored in every game in which NJCU has scored in 2018.
 
From there, Lee-Sam and the Gothic Knight backline were able to hold on to things for the 3-1 victory. CCC senior keeper Morgan Maddock (Brick, N.J.) stopped seven shots for the Falcons, including a few diving snags.
 
OF NOTE:

• Series: NJCU now leads 3-0-1.
• The goal from Vargas was the 35th of her career, as she continues to add to her rank in third place all-time for NJCU women's soccer goals scored. Vargas now has 78 career points (35 goals, 8 assists), passing Carine Carvalheiro (28 goals, 21 assists) who played in 2001 and 2003-05, for fifth place on NJCU's career charts.
• Shots: NJCU, 17-13.

 
UP NEXT:

• The Knights open up their New Jersey Athletic Conference schedule with a date against Ramapo College (1-4-0) at the Robert L. McNulty Memorial Soccer Field. The matchup will take place Saturday, September 15 at 3:00 p.m.

 
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