JERSEY CITY, N.J. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | New Jersey City University junior midfielder Mallensy Vargas (North Bergen, NJ/Memorial) moved into the top five in goals in the history of the program and tallied the fourth hat trick of her NJCU career, scoring in the eighth, 51^st and 52^nd minutes as the Gothic Knights (1-1-0) grabbed their first win of the 2018 season on September 2, defeating the City College of New York (1-1-0), 5-2.
 
Vargas netted the 28th, 29th and 30th goals of her 32-game career, matching her single-game high with seven points, including a pair of unassisted tallies. With NJCU clutching a 3-2 lead in the final 10 minutes, senior midfielder Karen Tuesta (Clifton, NJ/Clifton) and junior midfielder Karina Torres (North Bergen, NJ/North Bergen) each put away shots to extend the lead.
 
Senior midfielder Gina Carbonaro (Middlesex, NJ/Middlesex) and rookie back Laura Ford (Leonia, NJ/Leonia) added single assists. Rookie keeper Cidney Lee-Sam (Matawan, NJ/Old Bridge) earned the win, coming in at halftime to make four second-half saves.
 
The Knights made three changes to the starting lineup from their season opener, including another debut in goal for a freshman goalie, this time Sheyla Salazar (Guttenberg, NJ/North Bergen) getting the nod. It didn't take long for Salazar to get—and pass—her first test, as she made the first save of her NJCU career in the fourth minute on a Beaver breakaway.
 
A few minutes later, Vargas had a chance on a free kick just outside the 18, but CCNY snuffed out the threat, as junior Catherine Langkamp (Bronx, N.Y.) covered her top left corner for the save. Vargas would not be kept off the scoresheet much longer, however, as Carbonaro sent a nice ball ahead and Vargas chipped the ball over the on-rushing keeper. A CCNY defender attempted to clear the ball but couldn't keep it from crossing the line, dropping in off the underside of the crossbar for a 1-0 NJCU lead.
 
The two teams traded decent looks from there, with the closest opportunity coming when Daniele Grisales-Agudelo (New York, N.Y.) put in a pair of shots, the former of which hit the post. NJCU led 1-0 at the half.
 
The Knights made a change in goal to start the second half, going with Lee-Sam, the opening game starter. Lee-Sam was under fire right off the bat, as the Knights ceded a free kick just outside the box, which junior midfielder Susan Aracena (New York, NY) converted to draw the game even at 1-1, less than 90 seconds into the half.
 
The response from NJCU was immediate. First, Vargas drew a foul in the penalty box, and converted it, ripping the right side of the net with her calm finish to put NJCU up 2-1. Then, less than 60 seconds later, Vargas did it all on her own, twinkle-toeing her way through the CCNY defense, cutting back and curling a shot from outside the 18 on the right wing into the lower left side of the net for a 3-1 lead.
 
The Knights kept the pressure up, setting up a couple nice chances, but it was CCNY who got on the board next, with junior midfielder Gabrielle Duchausse (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.) setting up Grisales-Agudelo to cut the NJCU lead to 3-2.
 
The Knights had a pair of goals waived off on offside calls—two of 11 such calls during the game. But those decisions never came back to haunt the Knights. Tuesta, assisted by Vargas created separation on a breakaway in the 83rd minute. Four minutes later Torres took advantage of a long pass by Ford for an 87th minute insurance goal; it was her first goal in two years in an NJCU uniform.
 

OF NOTE:

• CCNY held a slight edge in shots, 16-15.
• Series: NJCU leads all-time, 13-1, and owns an 86-10 goals differential.
• Vargas previously scored seven points in a 9-0 win over Brooklyn (three goals, one assist) on October 9, 2017.

 
UP NEXT:

• The Knights wrap up their three-game home stand to start the 2018 season with a matchup against John Jay College (0-1-0) on Wednesday at 4:00 PM at Robert L. McNulty Memorial Soccer Field.

 
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