JERSEY CITY, N.J. — The New Jersey City University men's soccer utterly dominated Medgar Evers College in every facet of the match on Monday afternoon, Sept. 23, on Robert L. McNulty Memorial Soccer Field at the Thomas M. Gerrity Athletic Complex. The Gothic Knights toppled the Cougars, 5-0, outshooting the non-conference visitors by a total of 14-1 in on-target attempts.
The game's first tally came early on in the 14th minute after sophomore
JP Crespo (Belleville, N.J./Belleville) was taken down inside the box, leading to a successful penalty goal from senior
Lucca Cordone (Manantiales, Uruguay/IUA Punta del Este). Overall, NJCU (6-1-2) peppered the Medgar Evers (1-6-1) keeper in the first half, but was unable to get back on the board until the 45th minute, with just 10 seconds to go until the break. Freshman
Fabrizio Urena (Hawthorne, N.J./Passaic County Technical Institute) started it off with a cross into the box, received by senior
Joao Autran (Itatiba, Brazil/Objetivo). The latter found junior
Ryan Villegas (Elmwood Park, N.J./Elmwood Park) on the near side of the box, who placed it in front for his classmate
Carlos Perez (Netcong, N.J./Lenape Valley Regional) to convert on the first goal of his collegiate career.
Leading 2-0, the Gothic Knights continued to pressure the Cougars to start the second, but finally broke through with back-to-back-to-back goals in a matter of three minutes. First, in the 67th, junior
Josthin Stuller (North Bergen, N.J./North Bergen) took a corner on the near side and fifth-year
Jorkaef Fallas (North Bergen, N.J./Hudson Catholic) got a head on it, but was turned aside. Freshman
Dom Celi (Newton, N.J./Newton) jumped all over the rebound, however, putting it in the back of the net with his left foot out of the air, making it 3-0 with the first goal of his career.
Early in the 69th, fifth-year
Thiago Duarte (Newark, N.J./Newark East Side) placed one in front via a corner from the far side and freshman
Tommy Lois (Kearny, N.J./Kearny) received the cross on the opposite post, heading it in for the his first-career goal, as well. Finally, less than 30 seconds later, a through ball from Urena found Fallas, who sent it off his right foot to the lower left third to make it 5-0. It was his second of the season and 12th of his career.
Highlights:
- Overall, NJCU held the 71 percent time of possession advantage, outshooting the Cougars 33-4 and taking 14 corners to MEC's one.
- Freshman
Dominic Cunha (Rahway, N.J./Rahway) needed to make just one stop for the sixth victory of his career. Fellow rookie keeper
Lennox Nunez (Linden, N.J./Linden) played the final 18:04 for the first action of his collegiate career.
- The Gothic Knights are one victory away from matching head coach
Brendan Guzman's win total from his first year in 2023.
- The 6-1-2 start is the Green and Gold's best start since 2021 when they jumped out to 7-1-1 over their first nine.
Up Next:
The Gothic Knights now take a day before returning to action on Wednesday afternoon, Sept. 25, for their final non-conference tune-up against Hunter College on McNulty, scheduled for a 3:30 p.m. kickoff. Then, New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) play finally begins under the lights on the road on Friday night, Sept. 27, at #RV Montclair State University, with a 7:00 p.m. kickoff.
