READING, Pa. (NJCUGothicKnights.com)  | New Jersey City University senior midfielder Joe Burgos (Hackensack, NJ/St. Benedict's Prep) had been on the cusp of breaking out offensively this season. On September 3, the floodgates burst open. Burgos, who had never scored for the Gothic Knights in his first 33 career games in Jersey City, scored three second half goals to snap a 1-1 tie and lift the Gothic Knights to as 4-1 non-conference road win over Albright College.
 
NJCU improved to 3-0-0 to start a season for the fourth consecutive year during the tenure of fourth-year head coach Joe Cullen. After giving up a 16th minute goal that allowed Albright (1-1-0) to claim a 1-0 lead, the Gothic Knight defense smothered the Lions, outshooting the hosts, 15-5.
 
Freshman center back Joao Fernandes (Kearny, NJ/Kearny) tied the game in the 30th minute with his first career tally before Burgos took off—scoring twice in a span of 3:40 in the 64th and 68th minutes to seize a 3-1 lead before cementing his place in program history with a hat trick with just 10 seconds remaining in regulation. 
 
Sophomore midfielder Orlando Alcantara, sophomore forward Edric De Paula (Blairstown, NJ/Newark Tech) and senior midfielder Koshane Marshall (Montclair, NJ/Montclair) all provided assists.
 
Junior defender Brendan Hanratty (Warminster, Pa.) put the Lions in front at 15:55 of the first half—the first goal allowed by NJCU in the first 195:55 of play this season, on an assist from senior back Connor Morgan (Royersfield, Pa.). It was one of only three shots by Albright in the opening half and the only one on target.
 
Fernandes, instrumental in NJCU's first two shutouts of the season as a starting freshman, evened it up at 29:10 with Alcantara assisting.
 
The game remained tied for more than 34 minutes until Burgos finally broke through, scoring at 63:55 off a feed from De Paula for a 2-1 lead. 
 
Marshall, who scored in each of the first two games of the season, notched his fifth point of the season at 67:35, as he set up Burgos for an insurance tally and a 3-1 margin. Burgos, who had a game-high five shots, capped his hat trick as the clock dwindled in the final seconds.
 
OF NOTE:

• First meeting in exactly 14 years. All-time series even, 1-1. Only previous meeting was September 3, 2005 in a neutral game in Pittsburgh, Pa. Albright won, 4-3.

 
UP NEXT:

• NJCU will open its 2019 home schedule on Friday, September 6 at 12 p.m. when it hosts Yeshiva University in non-conference action at the Robert L. McNulty Memorial Soccer Field.

 
GOTHIC KNIGHTS on SOCIAL MEDIA:
For the latest on NJCU men's soccer and #NJCUMSoccer, follow the Gothic Knights on social media on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram,YouTube and SnapChat. Preferred hashtags are #GothicGameDay and #GothicFamily.