JERSEY CITY, N.J. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | After falling behind twice in the first 90 minutes of action, New Jersey City University (4-3-0) took their first lead of the game when it mattered most, as senior midfielder Katherin Merino (Harrison, NJ/Harrison) tallied a golden goal in the 98th minute of the first overtime to lead NJCU over Lehman College (2-1-1), 3-2, on September 17 at the Robert L. McNulty Memorial Soccer Field.
 
The game-winning goal, coming with just 2:02 remaining in the first overtime period, was wild. Junior center midfielder Mallensy Vargas (North Bergen, NJ/Memorial) played a ball from the right sideline into the box on two hops before Merino got a foot on it, deflecting a shot across the middle of the box as the opposing keeper dove to cut it off. The ball kept rolling towards the goal line with both an NJCU attacker and Lightning defender chasing it and Lehman was unable to get a clean touch to keep it out of the net.
 
Vargas was involved in all three goals for the Gothic Knights, notching four points on a goal and two assists. The Knights got their goals from three different sources, as, in addition to Merino and Vargas, freshman defender Laura Ford (Leonia, NJ/Leonia) scored the first goal of her NJCU career just after the restart. Vargas scored the 36th goal of her career with under 12 minutes remaining to tie the match and eventually force overtime.
 
Vargas had 14 total shots—the second straight game she's produced double-digit shot attempts and the fourth time in her career.

 

Despite the five combined goals for the game, the action started off slow, as the teams combined for just one shot in the first 16 minutes of play. However, in the 17th minute, the Lightning were able to find the back of the net on their first shot attempt, as a turnover from the Knights' backline led to an open chance for Lehman midfielder Valeria Rojas Alingue (Bronx, N.Y.), which the junior slotted past the extended right arm of NJCU freshman keeper Sheyla Salazar (Guttenberg, NJ/North Bergen).
 
The Knights had a few chances for the rest of the half, but neither team was able to tally a score before the whistle. NJCU outshot Lehman 13-5 in the first half.
 
First, in the 21st minute, Vargas sent a great ball over the top to sophomore forward Sylwia Lubczenko (Bayonne, NJ/Bayonne), but the Lehman backline was able to box out any chance. Lubczenko had another chance in the 32nd minute on a rebound, but she pulled it just wide. Finally, Vargas had a good look just about a minute later, but the junior couldn't quite finish off the opportunity.
 
The second half was a far different story than the missed chances of the first for the Knights. NJCU earned a corner in the 47th minute, which Vargas took, received a pass back, then slipped a pass from the far right flank to Ford who chipped the ball from 20 yards out over Rebecca Gritz (Bronx, N.Y.), the sophomore keeper for the Lightning, tying the game at 1-1.
 
The match didn't stay tied for long, though, as the Lightning took their lead back less than eight minutes later when junior defender Makeda Pyles (Suwanee, Ga.) struck a free kick from 35-yards out into the upper right corner for her first goal of the season.
 
Down one, the Knights turned to their leading scorer—and one of the top offensive threats in the region—and Vargas answered the call, dribbling up the middle of the field and through the entire Lightning defense before smashing a top shelf rocket to tie the match in the 79th minute.
 
Merino was one of the few Knights to have played the last time these two sides met in 2015.
 
OF NOTE:

• Series: Even, 1-1. Lehman won the previous matchup in 2015, 4-0.
• NJCU is 12-15-15 all-time in 41 overtime games.
• The goal for Merino was her first of 2018, and her first goal since October 11, 2017. It was the fourth game-winning goal of her career. She has 14 career goals.
• This was the first overtime victory for the Knights in 2018, and it was their first such victory since October 8, 2016 against Rutgers-Camden.
• The Knights split time between their keepers with Salazar playing the first 45:00 and freshman Cidney Lee-Sam (Old Bridge, NJ/Old Bridge) playing the final 52:58. Lee-Sam was the winner.

 
UP NEXT:

• The Knights (4-3-0, 0-1-0) are back to New Jersey Athletic Conference play on Saturday, September 22 when they face off with William Paterson University (1-5-0, 0-1-0) in Wayne, N.J. at 1:00 p.m.

 
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