JERSEY CITY, N.J. — The New Jersey City University women's soccer team, in the 30th all-time meeting with New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) rival Stockton University, finally broke through on Saturday afternoon, Oct. 14, in the poring rain. Slogging through the muddy conditions on Robert L. McNulty Memorial Soccer Field at the Thomas M. Gerrity Athletic Complex, it was a successful penalty in the 85th minute that tied the game for the Gothic Knights, giving the program its first-ever point against the Ospreys all-time.
Prior to the game, NJCU (5-5-4, 1-2-3 NJAC) celebrated Senior Day, honoring nine players between this year and last year's program:
Odalis Hernandez (Union City, N.J./Union City),
Gianna Giordano (Bayonne, N.J./Hudson Catholic),
Sabrina Duarte (Union, N.J./Benedictine Academy),
Rayanna Lima (Kearny, N.J./Kearny),
Samantha Szymanski (Sayreville, N.J./Sayreville War Memorial),
Shea Ramirez (Bogota, N.J./Immaculate Conception),
Michelle Taras (Newark, N.J./Newark East Side),
Kim Brites (Carteret, N.J./Carteret) and
Arame Diouf.
Click this link, or the one above for the full Senior Day Ceremony photo album.
As for the match, play was nearly even, although the Ospreys (7-1-7, 1-1-4 NJAC) did maintain a slight advantage in time of possession. At game's end, both squads had taken seven shots on goal. The Gothic Knights did not manage their first shot on goal until the 38th minute, but it was a close one. However, Stockton broke through first in the 40th off a solid corner kick ans scrum in front. NJCU had one more chance in the 43rd, but came up empty.
The teams traded chances to start the second, but then sophomore keeper
Sophia Mannino (Burlington, N.J./Burlington Township) was pelted with four on-target shots between the 69th and 74th minute. However, the NJCU goalie maintained the one-goal game. The Green and Gold finally got back in on the action with a solid chance off the foot of junior forward
Amanda Papamanolis (Hamilton, N.J./Steinert) in the 82nd, but was turned aside.
Finally, in the 85th, Szymanski sent a shot on net and it resulted in a handball in the box, which then became a yellow on the Ospreys and a penalty try for the Gothic Knights. Sophomore midfielder
Nyrohah Alvarenga (North Bergen, N.J./High Tech) stepped up to take the attempt and converted right down the middle to make it a 1-1 game, which is how the game would end.
Up Next:
Still sitting in sixth place with six points in the NJAC standings, NJCU will travel to Union, N.J., on Wednesday night, Oct. 18, for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff against Kean University. In a season already filled with some big-time conference victories, the Gothic Knights will be in search of their first win against the Cougars since 2010.
