PATCHOGUE, N.Y. — Following a four-goal victorious effort to start the 2021 campaign on Thursday, September 2, the New Jersey City University men's soccer team kept it rolling offensively with another four-goal outburst on Saturday afternoon, September 4. The Gothic Knights kicked off the SJC Invitational with a 4-1 romp over St. Joseph's College-Brooklyn, thanks in part to a two-goal performance by sophomore and first-year Gothic Knight Maximo Vargas (Montevideo, Uruguay/The British Schools). The game was played on the campus of St. Joseph's College-Long Island.

First Half
NJCU (2-0) dominated every bit of the field against the Bears (0-1) and outshot them 15-5 overall, including 9-1 in on-goal attempts. Things got off to a quick start for the Gothic Knights as rookie Jaime Bimboza (Jersey City, N.J./William L. Dickinson) took the games first shot on goal in the 11th minute and was able to get it past the St. Joe's keeper and make it 1-0 early. However, in the 20th minute, St. Joe's managed to tie it right back up at 1-1, although that would be the only offense the Bears could muster all afternoon, with that being their lone shot on goal for the entirety of the match.

Vargas subbed into the match in the 28th minute and not long after, his presence was felt. Following sophomore Thiago Duarte's (Newark, N.J./Newark East Side) unsuccessful on-goal shot attempt in the 32nd minute and fellow second year player Anthony Salmeron (North Bergen, N.J./North Bergen) getting called for the first yellow of the game 30 seconds later, Vargas put NJCU on the board once again with his first goal of the game — assisted by sophomore Jorkaef Fallas (North Bergen, N.J./Hudson Catholic) — and the Gothic Knights grabbed a 2-1 lead in the 35th.

Minutes later in the 40th, Duarte lined up for a corner and was able to put it in front where fellow sophomore Alvaro Cardozo (North Bergen, N.J./North Bergen) converted for his first-career collegiate goal and NJCU was now in front 3-1. Senior Luis Laing (Jersey City, N.J./William L. Dickinson) managed to get a header attempt on net in the waning moments of the half, but it was stopped by the Bear's netminder and the Gothic Knights went into the break with a two-goal advantage.

Second Half
Nearly the entirety of he final 45:00 went by without a goal on either side, although the Gothic Knights managed three on-target shot attempts by sophomore Gabe Cruz (Colonia, N.J./Colonia) in the 48th, freshman Julio Mauricio (South Plainfield, N.J./South Plainfield) in the 54th and Laing in the 73rd. NJCU also took four corner attempts, while St. Joe's attempted three, but neither squad was able to convert. After a waive of four subs for Jersey City in the 76th and 80th minutes, the refreshed Knights made one last offensive push on the day as Vargas managed to get one past the keeper to the right side of the net following a one-on-one attempt in the 81st for his second goal of the day to give NJCU the 4-1 lead.

What's Next
The Gothic Knights will close out the SJC Invitational on Sunday afternoon, September 5, at 3:30 p.m. when they meet the hosting Golden Eagles on the same pitch.