MAHWAH, N.J. — The New Jersey City University men's soccer team, seeded sixth in its first New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) tournament game since 2008, fell to third-seeded Ramapo College in the quarterfinal round on Wednesday, April 7, by a score of 3-0. The loss brings the Gothic Knights' abbreviated 2020-21 campaign to a close.

NJCU (0-5, 0-4 NJAC) was outshot 5-0 on goal in the first half against the Roadrunners (3-1-1, 2-1-1 NJAC), but junior keeper Nick Linbaugh made five saves to keep the game scoreless after 45:00 of play. Early on in the second half though, Ramapo took a 2-0 lead with a pair of scores in the 49th — a header off a free kick — and 55th minutes, respectively. The home squad got one more tally in the 70th to make it 3-0.

Linebaugh made two more saves in the second half to finish with seven on the day. Freshmen Thiago Duarte (Newark, N.J./Newark East Side) and Nick Atehortua (South Plainfield, N.J./South Plainfield) each notched a shot on goal in the second half as well. Overall the Gothic Knights attempted six shots, had one corner kick opportunity and were called for a pair of yellow cards, in the 28th and 83rd, while Ramapo got charged with one in the 75th.

What's Next
NJCU's season comes to an end with the loss, as the Roadrunners advance to the NJAC semifinals. The Gothic Knights expect to return nearly their entire roster — which includes 19 freshmen and a trio of other first-year team members — as they prepare for what many assume to be a traditional 2021 fall season in what would be head coach Joe Cullen's sixth season at the helm of the program.