JERSEY CITY, N.J. — In a game that featured 11 yellow cards, including one that resulted in a red, it's fair to say that the 2021 New Jersey City University men's soccer Senior Day match was a memorable one as the Gothic Knights outshot Ramapo College 10-8 in on-target attempts on Saturday afternoon, Oct. 23, at Robert L. McNulty Memorial Field. However, despite leading 1-0 for the majority of the second half, a late surge from the Roadrunners resulted in a 2-1 defeat on the afternoon in New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) action.

Prior to the in-game fireworks on Saturday, NJCU (8-8-1, 0-8 NJAC) took the time during the pre-game ceremonies to bid farewell to its four graduating members in seniors goalkeeper Aldahir Cazun (Jersey City, N.J./William L. Dickinson), captain and center back Nelson Segovia (North Bergen, N.J./North Bergen), forward Luis Laing (Jersey City, N.J./William L. Dickinson) and midfielder Samuel Ansah (East Orange, N.J./Newark Tech). At the conclusion of the ceremony, it was all business for the Gothic Knights.
 
Jersey City and Ramapo (8-7-1, 2-5-1 NJAC) started off on a blistering pace and did not back down throughout the match. Rookie midfielder Jeff Sanchez (Carteret, N.J./Carteret) started it off with the first shot on goal just 37 seconds in, but it was turned aside by the Roadrunner keeper. Cazun, who got the start in net for NJCU, faced his first test in the 10th minute but kept it scoreless then as well. The Gothic Knights had two more chances over the next 10 minutes before the first two yellows of the day were called, first on rookie midfielder Jeremy Jordan (Guayaquil, Ecuador/ANAVI) in the 22nd, followd by one on the Roadrunners in the 23rd.

After a few more on-target attempts, the next set of yellows were raised by the referee. This time as a result of a scuffle in the NJCU defensive zone. Junior back Christopher Castillo (North Bergen, N.J./High Tech) and his Ramapo counterpart were called for offsetting cards early in the 38th minute. Both teams took one more shot on goal in the final four minutes of the half before it remained scoreless heading into the break.

Another save by Cazun opened up action in the second half in the 50th minute before the Roadrunners were called for another yellow in the 56th. Minutes later, the Gothic Knights finally broke through. Segovia headed a ball to midfield where Jordan picked it up, made a nice move wide around the defender and sent a long through-ball downfield where sophomore forward Maximo Vargas (Montevideo, Uruguay/The British Schools) was able to get around the keeper and put it into the back of the net to make it 1-0 in the 58th for his team-leading eighth tally of the season.

Moments later, sophomore midfielder Jorkaef Fallas (North Bergen, N.J./Hudson Catholic) had the chance to make it 2-0 on the break but was unable to handle the ball initially. He then took a strong shot attempt in the 61st, but it was right at the netminder and saved. Later in the 63rd, freshman back Julio Mauricio (South Plainfield, N.J./South Plainfield) joined in on the yellow card parade. Then again in the 66th minute, just four minutes after coming on as a substitution, Ansah found himself in a position to ice the game as well. The senior was hit with a great cross that put him wide open in a one-on-one with the goaltender, however his shot was stopped and the game remained 1-0 at the time. The next two yellows came in the 79th and 80th against Ansah and freshman forward Jean Cueva (Guayaquil, Ecuador/Colegio ANAI), respectively.

Ramapo finally tied it up in the 81st after a foul awarded the Roadrunners a free kick in their offensive zone. The ball went all the way to the edge of the box where it was headed ahead just slightly. The ball was then swiftly put into the back of the net on the immediate touch to knot it at 1-1. The game's final goal, which gave Ramapo the 2-1 win, came in a wild sequence that started late in the 85th. A Roadrunner corner was sent in front and the Gothic Knights attempted to clear the ball several times, but each was stopped and returned with a blocked shot for Ramapo, until one broke through and found the back of the net as Cazun was taken down in the scrum in front early in the 86th.

Both teams remained on edge, knowing that either could score at any moment of the waning minutes of the day. Juan Uribe of Ramapo was called for his second yellow card of the day in the 87th, which resulted in a red card and an ejection, giving NJCU the man-up opportunity for the final two-plus minutes of regulation. Fallas and Vargas were called for yellows in the 87th and 88th minutes, respectively, as the Gothic Knights were pressing hard. However Jersey City was unable to get another attempt on net and just missed out on the victory.

What's Next:
With home play complete for the 2021 regular season, the Gothic Knights hit the road for their finale against NJAC foe William Paterson University on Wednesday night, Oct. 27, at 7:00 p.m. in Wayne, N.J.