PHOENIXVILLE, Pa. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) |The New Jersey City University men's soccer team (10-4) dismantled the University of Valley Forge (5-7), outshooting the Patriots by a nearly 4:1 margin before chalking up a 2-0 non-conference victory on October 6. In doing so, the Gothic Knights broke a four-game losing streak since the team's record-setting nine straight victories to start the season. 
 
The Knights put on a dominant performance, especially in the second half, totaling 41 to just 11 for Valley Forge—and a 27-4 differential in the second half. NJCU had a 12-4 edge in shots on goal.
 
"It was a long trip on a Sunday morning the day after a tough conference game, so it wasn't easy to go out there and play, but the guys managed to go out and take care of business," fourth-year head coach Joe Cullen explained.
 
The first NJCU goal came from an unexpected, but exciting, source, as NJCU senior back Ryan Farrell (South River, NJ/South River) scored his first career Gothic Knight goal in the 22nd minute. This was Farrell's 46th game as a Gothic Knight, and the goal came on a header off a Joe Burgos (Hackensack, NJ/St. Benedict's Prep) ball—his seventh assist of the season. 
 
"Ryan has been excellent in the air since day one, and today he was able to convert on a corner kick by snapping a header into the upper right corner to open up his goal account," Cullen said. "He's been a great locker room and NJCU team guy for four years now and has managed to contribute a great deal over his time here on and off the field."
 
Despite a heavy NJCU attack, the next goal didn't come until the 77th minute, when rookie center back Joao Fernandes (Kearny, NJ/Kearny) got the insurance goal, with an assist to freshman midfielder Oscar Perez (Passaic, NJ/Passaic Tech). It was the third goal of the season for Fernandes, while it was the first career assist and collegiate point for Perez.
 
On the defensive side of things, it was the fifth shutout of the year for NJCU, but the first since September 14. Aldahir Cazun (Jersey City, NJ/Dickinson) made four saves  over 85-plus minutes in goal, while Danny Montehermoso (Union City, NJ/Union City) finished off the shutout for the final 4:28. 
 
OF NOTE:

• This was the first-ever meeting between the two sides.
• Burgos led the way for NJCU with seven shots, while three different players had two shots on target, and 16 different players got at least one shot. 
• The game was a mid-season addition to replace the September 23 Cairn game which was cancelled.

 
UP NEXT:

• The Knights play their final non-conference match of the regular season on Wednesday, October 9 at 3:00 p.m. at the Robert L. McNulty Memorial Soccer Field against Purchase College (6-3-1). A win will give NJCU 11 victories for the first time since 2012.

 
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