GLASSBORO, N.J. — After finishing sixth in the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) regular-season standings following a 1-1 tie against Rutgers-Newark on Wednesday, Oct. 26, the New Jersey City University men's soccer team opened up the NJAC Men's Soccer Championship Tournament against #3 seed Rowan University at the Rowan Soccer & Lacrosse Complex on Saturday evening, Oct. 29. The Gothic Knights lost the match 1-0.
 
NJCU (8-5-2, 3-4-2 NJAC) opened up the match in the first 11 minutes trading possessions back and forth with the Profs (10-5-4, 4-2-3 NJAC), not allowing a single shot attempt. In the 12th, junior forward Maximo Vargas (Montevideo, Uruguay/The British Schools) the game's first shot with Rowan making a strong defensive play to keep the game scoreless.
 
Two minutes later, the Gothic Knights got their best opportunity of the half to score, as freshman midfielder Juan Vizcaino (Clifton, N.J./Clifton) took a shot that just barely hit the side of the post, putting the ball back in front of the net, allowing the Profs to clear. Jersey City only had four more shot opportunities in the half as the score remained tied 0-0 after the first 45 minutes of play.
 
The Gothic Knights opened up the second half playing a very similar match to the first. Both teams started the first 10 minutes trading possession without allowing a single shot attempt. Unfortunately for NJCU, it would not stay that way as Rowan took three shots following the 60th. The third and final shot in the 69th was the most critical as Rowanstruck with the game's lone goal to give the Profs a 1-0 lead.
 
In the closing 10 minutes, NJCU had three very strong opportunities to score, including two shots taken by freshman midfielder Jacobo Espinosa (South Hackensack, N.J./Union City). Again, unfortunately for Espinosa and Jersey City, the Profs made two more spectacular defensive stops on those shots, allowing Rowan to seal the game by a final score of 1-0.
 
Up Next:
With the regular-season and NJAC Tournament now at a close for the Gothic Knights, the squad now has just over a week until the field is selected for the 2022 Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Division III Men's Soccer Championship. NJCU is able to schedule games prior to the Nov. 7 ECAC afternoon selection.