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EIGHT GOTHIC KNIGHTS LIGHT UP SCORING LAMP AS NJCU SAILS PAST MOUNT SAINT VINCENT, 9-0, IN TCNJ SOCCER CLASSIC

EIGHT GOTHIC KNIGHTS LIGHT UP SCORING LAMP AS NJCU SAILS PAST MOUNT SAINT VINCENT, 9-0, IN TCNJ SOCCER CLASSIC

CRISTHIAN ACUNA BECOMES NJCU�S ALL-TIME ASSISTS LEADER

EWING, NJ�New Jersey City University built an 8-0 halftime lead in a game where 31 different Gothic Knights took the field and eight scored goals, as the Gothic Knights sailed past the College of Mount Saint Vincent, 9-0, in a weather-abridged TCNJ Soccer Classic, Sunday at Lions� Stadium.

With the win, NJCU improves to 2-2 overall, while the Dolphins fall to 0-4. It was the first meeting between the teams since October 14, 1998. NJCU leads the all-time series, 4-0, with a 31-5 goal differential, including two shutouts.

Yesterday�s games at The College of New Jersey Soccer Classic were rescheduled for today due to Tropical Storm Hanna while those originally scheduled for today were cancelled. TCNJ defeated SUNY Cobleskill, 1-0, in the other game on Sunday. There was no tournament champion because of its shortened format.

NJCU outshot CMSV, 36-3, including a staggering 26-0 in the first half alone. Leading 9-0 at 50:10, the Knights did not score again the remaining 39:50 of play.

When senior forward CRISTHIAN ACUNA (East Newark, NJ/Harrison), the 2007 New Jersey Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year, delivered a thru ball to fellow senior midfielder GONZALO DAPIA (Kearny, NJ/Kearny) on a give-and-go play inside the box at 22:33 of the first half, Acuna became the all-time leader in assists in the 50-year history of NJCU soccer. His 32nd career assist and 90th overall point�his first assist this year�moved him out of a tie he had held with former teammate Johan Gonzalez, who had 31 assists between 2002-05.

Freshman midfielder/forward ALEX CERON (Belleville, NJ/Belleville) was NJCU�s top overall performer, scoring twice while adding an assist for his first five collegiate points.

Senior midfielder EDISON BILBAO (Carteret, NJ/St. Benedict�s Prep) scored the eventual game-winning goal just 5:53 into the game for his second tally of the year, and provided an assist just 1:14 later on the second goal, scored by junior defender MICKAEL PEREIRA (Nutley, NJ/Harrison), for a three-point afternoon. Now with 22 goals and 27 assists in his career, Bilbao has 71 overall points.

Freshman midfielder/forward WALTER AVANS (Roselle Park, NJ/Union Catholic) had a four-point day, scoring once and chipping in two assists for his first collegiate scoring.

Highly-touted sophomore forward TRAVIS MCKOY (Maplewood, NJ/Columbia) made his debut for the Knights, scoring the fourth goal. Junior midfielder JILMAR PEREZ (Princeton, NJ/South Brunswick) and freshman midfielder CARLOS TRIANA (Englewood, NJ/Dwight Morrow) each scored their first goals as members of the program.

Dapia assisted on Bilbao�s game winning goal for a three-point day overall. Senior midfielder COURTNEY McGREGOR (Irvington, NJ/Frank H. Morrell Campus) and sophomore forward SEBASTIAN JOULAIN (Bayonne, NJ/Bayonne) each tacked on single assists.

Freshmen keepers MANNY LOJO (Clark, NJ/Union Catholic) and JULIAN CUCCO (Elmwood Park, NJ/Elmwood Park Memorial) each split 45 minutes in goal to combine for the shutout. Lojo did not face a shot while earning the win; Cucco stopped the lone two shots on target in the second half.

Senior keeper William Raftery (Bronx, NY/Salesian) made nine saves in the first half, allowing eight goals under heavy pressure. Freshman Carlo Malerba (Derby, CT/Notre Dame) stopped four second half shots.

NJCU will return to action on Wednesday, September 10 at 4 p.m. in a non-conference game against John Jay College at the Met Oval in Ridgewood, NY.
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Team Stat Comparison
NJCU CMSV
Score 9 0
Halftime 8 0
Shots 36 3
Shots On Goal 22 2
Saves 2 13
Corner Kicks 8 3
Fouls 10 2
Offsides 7 0
Caution Cards 0 0


Submitted 2008-09-07 18:41:04 by New Jersey City University Sports Information Department

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