JERSEY CITY, N.J. (NJCUGothicKnights.com)  | Ramapo College took advantage of a 32nd minute penalty kick and then used its stingy defense to shutdown the red-hot New Jersey City University men's soccer attack as the Roadrunners defeated NJCU, 3-0, in the New Jersey Athletic Conference opener for both schools on September 21 at the Robert L. McNulty Memorial Soccer Field.
 
NJCU, after a school-record 9-0-0 start to the season, suffered its first blemish (9-1-0, 0-1-0 NJAC), and was outshot 24-8. Ramapo also remained unbeaten, improving to 4-0-3 overall (1-0-0 NJAC). The Roadrunners have allowed just three goals in seven games this year.
 
Gothic Knight junior goalkeeper Aldahir Cazun (Jersey City, NJ/Dickinson) made eight first-half saves and finished with a career-high equaling 13 stops as RCNJ put 16 of its 24 opportunities on net. Ramapo keeper Joshua Schaffer (Ringwood, N.J.) helped preserve the team's fourth shutout with two saves.
 
Reigning NJAC Offensive Player of the Year and Third-Team All-American, 6-foot-7 senior forward Joseph Fala (Cape May Court House, N.J.), scored the eventual winning goal on a penalty kick in the 32nd minute before freshman midfielder Raul Macedo (Garfield, N.J.) buried a shot in the 60th minute that proved to be the dagger. Senior midfielder Bashkim Saiti (Teaneck, N.J.) put away the third goal in the 66th minute.
 
Ariton Mimini (Hawthorne, N.J.) and senior back Justin Charkowski (Wayne, N.J.) each contributed assists for the Roadrunners.
 
The only goal of a chippy first half that saw 18 combined fouls came at the 31:19 mark when Fala hit a penalty kick into the high left side of the net for a 1-0 lead and his fourth goal of the year. Saiti drew the foul in the box.
 
After Cazun made several highlight reel stops to keep it a one-goal game, Ramapo got another in the 60th minute. Mimini settled a long cross with his chest on the right side of the box, then flicked a ball to Macedo for a short one-timer into the right side of the net from 15 yards. Saiti later drilled a laser beam from 30 yards midway through the 66th minute.
 
OF NOTE:

• Series: 48th meeting. Ramapo leads, 24-19-5 (won last 7). 
• Cazun's previous season high for saves was seven, both this week on September 16 vs. Mount Saint Vincent and September 19 at Farmingdale.
• Cazun also had 13 saves at Rowan on September 16, 2017. It was his fourth career effort of 10 or more saves.

 
UP NEXT:

• Monday's scheduled non-conference game has been cancelled so NJCU will be idle until Saturday, September 28 at 1 p.m. when it faces William Paterson University in Wayne, N.J. in NJAC action.

 
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