News Release
JONATHAN BILBAO SCORES TWICE, LEADS #7 NEW JERSEY CITY PAST CASTLETON, 2-0, IN NCAA DIVISION III TOURNAMENT FIRST ROUND
NEWARK, NJ�Junior center midfielder JONATHAN BILBAO (Carteret, NJ/St. Benedict�s Prep) scored twice�once in each half�off assists from junior forward CRISTHIAN ACUNA (East Newark, NJ/Harrison) and junior midfielder EDISON BILBAO (Carteret, NJ/St. Benedict�s Prep) and freshman goalkeeper ANDRE VIOLA (Clifton, NJ/St. Joseph�s Regional (Montvale)) made four saves for his 11th shutout of the season as #7 ranked New Jersey City University defeated Castleton State College (VT), 2-0, in the 2007 NCAA Division III Tournament First Round, hosted by New York University Saturday night at New Jersey Institute of Technology�s Lubetkin Field. The game was played on a very cold night in North Jersey where temperatures hovered near the upper 30s.
With the win, NJCU (17-4-1), ranked seventh nationally by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America, tied the single-season record for victories for the third year in a row and will face Hamilton College (10-4-3) on Sunday, November 11 at 7 p.m. in the NCAA Second Round with a berth in the Sweet 16 at stake. The Continentals, champions of the Liberty League, advanced to the second round with a 2-0 with over NYU in Saturday�s other first round game of the regional.
NJCU, the 2007 New Jersey Athletic Conference regular season champions, playing in the NCAA Tournament for the second time in school history and the second time in three seasons, improves to 2-1-0 overall in the NCAAs, and 2-0-0 in the first round. Combined with a 3-0 win over DeSales University in the 2005 NCAA First Round, NJCU has outscored first round opponents, 5-0, and all NCAA opposition, 9-5.
NJCU wins 17 games in a year for the fourth time overall (2001, 2004, 2005, and 2006). It was the first meeting between NJCU and Castleton (13-8-1), the champions of the North Atlantic Conference (NAC), and the first meeting for the Knights against any NAC opponent. Castleton was appearing in the NCAAs for the first time since 2004.
NJCU is now 2-0 all-time on Lubetkin Field and since 1998, 11-0 in all games played in the city of Newark, NJ. NJCU is 9-1-1 in its last 11 games and 14-2-1 in its last 17 outings.
In a game where NJCU outshot the Spartans, 24-8, including 12-2, it was Jonathan Bilbao becoming NJCU�s all-time leader in game-winning goals with 10, including his fifth this season, while taking over the 2007 team lead in tallies. NJCU dominated play throughout, consistently creating opportunities in the Spartans' final third.
After several quality opportunities, Acuna won the ball on the right wing, beat a defender, and dribbled along the right endline. From there, he aired out a perfect cross into the box. Bilbao made a spin move to elude a defender and pinpointed a beautiful header inside the left post at 29:59. His 10th career game-winner broke a tie for the all-time lead with former standout Marc Palumbo (1999-02).
The assist for Acuna was the 31st of his career, tying the all-time program record that Johan Gonzalez had set in four years from 2002-05. It was also his 77th career point, one shy of third place.
In the second half, NJCU outshot Castleton, 12-6, and again found the net as all three of its First-Team All-NJAC performers contributed to a 2-0 lead. Acuna lofted a cross from the left corner and Edison Bilbao fired a one-timer that was blocked in the goalmouth. But Jonathan Bilbao collected the rebound from 10 yards out on the right side and uncorked a shot into the left side of the net at 59:59 for his 12th goal of the year and 60th career point, now seventh in school history. Edison Bilbao was credited with his 23rd career assist, now tied for fifth all-time.
Viola made four saves, including two sensational back-to-back leaping stops within five seconds of each other in the 71st minute, to thwart Castleton junior forward Ryan Hahn (Benson, VT), the NAC Player of the Year, and junior forward Gerrit Marino (Waitsfield, VT). Other than those two chances, the Spartans best other opportunity came at 85:36 when sophomore forward Jon Vogt (Hennicker, NY) had a shot that hit the left post before being cleared away by the Gothic Knight defense.
In defeat, Castleton junior keeper Mike Anthony (Dartmouth, MA) finished with seven saves, including several acrobatic stops, to keep his team in the contest. CSC also had one team save.
When NJCU and Hamilton meet, it will be the first-ever meeting between the schools. However, it will be the third meeting this year between the Knights and a Liberty League opponent. In the season opener on September 1 in Canton, NY, NJCU fell to St. Lawrence University, 2-0. The next day, NJCU crushed league member Clarkson University, 6-1, and the Knights� offense has sizzled since.
�www.njcugothicknights.com�
Team Stat Comparison
NJCU Castleton
Score: 2 0
Shots: 24 8
Shots On Goal: 10 4
Saves: 4 8
Corner Kicks: 8 2
Fouls: 11 8
Offsides: 1 0
Caution Cards: 0 0
Submitted 2007-11-10 21:56:38 by New Jersey City University Sports Information Department
