UNION, N.J. — The New Jersey City University women's soccer team earned an important New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) victory over Kean University on Wednesday, Oct 18, to keep conference tournament hopes alive. With a five game unbeaten streak on the line, the Gothic Knights came out on top, 3-2, overcoming two late second-half goals by the Cougars, along with two big penalty saves by sophomore goalkeeper Sophia Mannino (Burlington, N.J., Burlington Township) in the final 20 minutes. Tonight's victory marks the first in 13 years over the Cougars and three goals are the most any Gothic Knights team has scored against Kean.

NJCU (6-5-4, 2-2-3 NJAC) opened the scoring just over a quarter of an hour into the first half via a moment of brilliance from sophomore midfielder Nyrohah Alvarenga (North Bergen, N.J., High Tech). The Green and Gold were awarded a free kick from just outside the Kean (4-8-3, 1-4-2 NJAC) penalty area in the 16th. With all the confidence in the world, Alvarenga stepped up and delivered a peach of a strike, low and to the goalkeeper's right, for her fourth goal of the campaign. The Gothic Knights held the Cougars scoreless through 45 minutes thanks to a couple of big time saves from Mannino.

The second half of action began with NJCU picking up right where it left off in the first. Freshman forward Bella Moore (Marlton, N.J., Cherokee), who's pace caused issues for Kean all night, pounced on a Cougars mishap and buried the chance for her third goal of 2023 and doubled the advantage. The third would come just five minutes later off another set piece from a perfectly placed corner kick by senior defender Michelle Taras (Newark, N.J., Newark East Side) that would find the head of senior midfielder Samantha Szymanski (Sayreville, N.J., Sayreville War Memorial) and the back of the net. 

Despite the margin, Kean did not give in easily. In the 73rd, the Cougars would be awarded a penalty kick and a chance to get back into the match. Mannino delivered her first penalty save of the night to keep the clean sheet intact. However, the Cougars were able to break through in the 76th and quickly scored again within three minutes to make things interesting.

The Gothic Knights conceded another penalty kick in the 89th defending a Cougars set piece. Mannino stepped up once again to play hero, as she guessed the right way for her seventh save of the night and extended her team's unbeaten streak to six in a row. The Green and Gold take all three points from the Cougars for the second time in matchup history, the last time being a 2-1 home victory in 2010. NJCU is now in sole posession of fifth place in the NJAC standings with just two games to play.

Up Next:
The Gothic Knights will head to Ewing, N.J., on Saturday, Oct 21, for their final road match of the year against #10-ranked The College of New Jersey. Kickoff is scheduled for 11:00 a.m.