News Release
SWEETNESS! #7 NEW JERSEY CITY ADVANCES TO SWEET 16 FOR SECOND TIME IN THREE YEARS; ELIMINATED HAMILTON, 4-1
NEWARK, NJ...New Jersey City University received first half goals from senior defender SCOTT MODZELEWSKI (Monroe, NJ/Monroe Township) and sophomore defender SHAWN McCORMICK (North Brunswick, NJ/North Brunswick) sandwiched around a Hamilton College own goal to seize a commanding 3-0 lead and advanced to the NCAA Division III Tournament Sweet 16 for the second time in three seasons, as the #7 ranked Gothic Knights defeated the Continentals, 4-1, in the NCAA Tournament Second Round at Lubetkin Field on the campus of New Jersey Institute of Technology.
With the win for NJCU (18-4-1), ranked seventh nationally by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America, established a single-season record for victories, breaking the mark of 17 accomplished three times since 2001, including both 2005 and 2006. NJCU, the 2007 New Jersey Athletic Conference regular season champions will meet #13 Montclair State University, the 2007 NJAC Tournament champions, for the third time this season in the third round of the NCAA Tournament. That game will be either Friday, November 16 or Saturday, November 17 at a site, date and time to be announced early on Monday afternoon. NJCU won the regular season meeting, 3-0, on October 13, with MSU defeating the Knights in the NJAC Finals on November 3, 1-0. Both games were in Jersey City, NJ.
NJCU is now 3-0 all-time on Lubetkin Field and since 1998, 12-0 in all games played in the city of Newark, NJ. NJCU is 10-1-1 in its last 12 games and 15-2-1 in its last 18 outings.
The loss ends Hamilton�s season at 10-5-3. It was the first ever meeting between NJCU and Hamilton, the 2007 Liberty League champions. However, it was the third time this year NJCU faced an opponent from the Liberty League, and the Knights outscored those three clubs, 10-4.
Senior forward MARCELO CARPIO (Clifton, NJ/Clifton) scored a second half goal to cap the scoring. Junior center midfielder JONATHAN BILBAO (Carteret, NJ/St. Benedict�s Prep) has two assists, while twin brother and junior midfielder EDISON BILBAO (Carteret, NJ/St. Benedict�s Prep) set up the first NJCU goal.
NJCU�s first two goals of the game came in a span of 24 seconds, breaking the school record for fastest consecutive goals. That record had been held by Carpio, who scored twice in 52 seconds in 2005.
Playing in the NCAA Tournament for the second time in school history and the second time in three seasons, NJCU improves to 3-1-1 overall in the NCAAs, and has outscored its five NCAA opponents, 13-6.
NJCU opened the scoring at 23:35 of the first half. After a Hamilton foul, Edison Bilbao had a free kick from even with the top of the box on the right wing, which he perfectly placed into the middle of the box. Modzelewski used his 6-foot-2 frame and snapped a vicious header inside the left post for his second goal of the year and a 1-0 lead. The assist was Bilbao�s 10th of the year and 24th of his career to move into a tie for fourth all-time.
Just 24 seconds later, in an odd turn of events, NJCU moved ahead 2-0, on an own goal. Hamilton junior midfielder Dan Dropkin-Frank (East Chatham, NY) had just subbed into the game after the Modzelewski goal, and misplayed a ball in the deep left defensive zone. Hamilton junior keeper Anthony Carello (East Syracuse, NY) could not prevent disaster, as the ball trickled in at 23:59.
McCormick made it a 3-0 margin at 30:44. After a free kick from the right sideline, Jonathan Bilbao placed a 20-yard serve into the goalmouth. Two NJCU players were there, and it was McCormick knocking in his fourth goal of the year. NJCU led 1-0 at the half, despite being outshot, 8-7.
After more than 50 minutes had passed without another goal, Carpio capped the scoring for NJCU at 81:18. Jonathan Bilbao lofted a cross from the right wing onto the left post. There, Carpio turned and fired a point-blank shot under the crossbar and over a leaping Carello for a 4-0 lead, tying Bilbao with a team-high with 12 goals. The assist for Bilbao was his 11th of the year and team-best 35th point.
With most of NJCU�s starters out of the game, Hamilton broke up the shutout with 42 seconds remaining. Junior midfielder Max Akuamoah-Boateng (Winneba, Ghana) took a shot that rebounded right to junior midfielder Michael Hannan (Bridgeport, NY) on the goal line and he tapped in the loose ball.
NJCU and Hamilton were even in shots at 15-15, in a physical game in which 42 fouls and six cautions were issued. Freshman goalkeeper ANDRE VIOLA (Clifton, NJ/St. Joseph�s Regional (Montvale)) made six saves for NJCU, and the Knights also had a key team save by freshman defender EDUARDO TEJADA (North Arlington, NJ/North Arlington), heading a ball off the line in the sixth minute. Carello finished with nine saves for the Continentals as 13 of NJCU�s 15 shots were on goal.
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Team Stat Comparison
NJCU Hamilton
Score: 4 1
Shots: 15 15
Shots On Goal: 13 8
Saves: 7 9
Corner Kicks: 4 4
Fouls: 18 24
Offsides: 2 0
Caution Cards: 4 2
Submitted 2007-11-12 00:26:07 by New Jersey City University Sports Information Department
