JERSEY CITY, N.J. – On Sunday, September 11, 2022 – the 21st anniversary of the attacks on the twin towers – the New Jersey City University women's soccer team faced off with the United States Merchant Marine Academy in the visiting military academy's inaugural season. The Gothic Knights and Mariners went toe-to-toe all match long, with each squad holding a lead of its own, before USMMA edged out NJCU, 3-2.
Merchant Marine (3-0) got the first shot on goal of the day, but it was turned aside by Jersey City's (1-2-2) freshman keeper
Lorraine Valenzuela (Bayonne, N.J./Bayonne) in her first-career start. It was the Gothic Knights that struck first as freshman
Kiara Brites (Carteret, N.J./Carteret), making her first-career start as well in the center back position. The rookie attempted a free kick just outside the box and put it into the top left corner with her left foot in the 15th to make it 1-0.
NJCU continued to put the pressure on for the majority of the half, including a solid chance by Kiara's older sister, junior forward
Kim Brites (Carteret, N.J./Carteret) in the 29th off a corner, but that was turned aside. After a couple more Jersey City offsides on breakout attempts, the momentum shifted to USMMA. The Mariners earned a free kick outside the box, sent a cross in and the first shot was stopped by Valenzuela – but they scored on the rebound to make it 1-1 in the 38th. One minute later, Merchant Marine scored again midway through the 39th to take the 2-1 lead.
The Gothic Knights had the next best opportunity midway through the second half in the 63rd when freshman midfielder
Nyrohah Alvarenga (North Bergen, N.J./High Tech) placed a well-hit free kick to the top right corner, but was turned away. Junior forward
Shea Ramirez (Bogota, N.J./Immaculate Conception) sent one on net from a bad angle in the 72nd before USMMA broke free and took a two-goal lead in the 73rd.
Minutes later, NJCU had another solid opportunity from Alvarenga once more, but was once again turned aside in the 77th. The Gothic Knights earned a free kick in the 81st and Alvarenga placed the ball on goal. Freshman forward
Ariana Flores-Ortiz (Little Falls, N.J./Passaic Valley Regional) took the first shot, which was stopped but
Kim Brites (Carteret, N.J./Carteret) quickly cleaned it up early in the 82nd to make it 3-2. Jersey City had one more chance to tie it up in the 85th, but Flores-Ortiz sent a chance off a corner over the goal.
Up Next:
Jersey City hits the road for three straight matches over the next couple of weeks. The Gothic Knights head out to Brooklyn first on Wednesday afternoon, Sept. 14, for a 4:00 p.m. kickoff against Brooklyn College. Then, NJCU heads out to Media, Pa., for a 1:00 p.m. matchup with Penn State Brandywine on Saturday, Sept. 17. The road run ends in New York with a 4:00 p.m. meeting with John Jay College on Wednesday, Sept. 21.
