News Release

Early goal lifts MSU past Rutgers-Camden for NJAC title

MONTCLAIR (Nov. 7, 2008) � Montclair State University senior forward Tyler Masterson (Long Valley, NJ/West Morris Central) scored 2:22 into the game to spark the Red Hawks over Rutgers University-Camden, 1-0, in the New Jersey Athletic Conference men�s soccer championship game here Friday night.

The top-seeded Red Hawks, now 20-0-0 overall and ranked No. 3 nationally, captured their third consecutive NJAC title. They became the first team to win the NJAC tournament three straight years since its inception in 1999 and the first school to three-peat as conference champions since Rowan from 1991-93.

The Red Hawks� victory earns them the NJAC�s automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Tournament, which begins next week. The Scarlet Raptors, meanwhile, will wait to see if they earn one of the at-large berths when the bids are announced Monday. The Raptors were ranked second in the latest NCAA Metro Regional rankings behind Montclair State.

The Red Hawks� win snapped the seven-game unbeaten streak (6-0-1) of the third-seeded Scarlet Raptors, who fell to 16-4-2. Two of those losses have come against Montclair State, which posted a 4-1 decision over Rutgers-Camden in a regular-season game in Montclair Oct. 4. Friday�s loss was the first for Rutgers-Camden since a 2-0 defeat Oct. 11 against York College, which was ranked No. 3 nationally at that time and since moved up to No. 2.

The contest marked the second time Rutgers-Camden has participated in the NJAC title game in program history and it had a similar ending. The Scarlet Raptors lost a 1-0 decision at top-seeded The College of New Jersey in the 2005 NJAC final.

On Friday night, the conference�s Offensive Player of the Year proved to be the difference in a one-goal game. The lone goal came early as junior Michael Cullen (Clementon, NJ/Highland) served a ball deep to Masterson, who chipped a shot over Raptors freshman goalkeeper Tim VanLiew (Deptford, NJ/Deptford) for his conference-leading 14th goal of the year.

VanLiew played another strong game, making four saves for the Raptors, who were outshot, 15-4. The Red Hawks also held a 6-3 edge in corner kicks.

Rutgers-Camden stormed right back after the goal, but MSU keeper Nick Mele (Delran, NJ/Delran) stopped an attempt by Raptor senior back A.J. O�Malley (Westmont, NJ/Haddon Township) just 56 seconds later. Mele then made a save on a shot by Raptor sophomore back Stan Reahm (Deptford, NJ/Deptford) at 9:08.

Rutgers-Camden had three shots in the opening half while Montclair State had seven, but VanLiew made a pair of fine saves and the Red Hawks hit another shot off the crossbar at 32:39.

Rutgers-Camden managed only one second-half shot against the MSU defense, which ranks fourth in Division III. Mele finished with two saves for his 10th shutout of the season and the 13th overall for the Red Hawks in 20 contests.



Submitted 2008-11-11 06:28:57 by Rutgers University-Camden Sports Information Department

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