NEWARK, NJ – Goals by junior Innocent Buule and freshman Jervis Witherspoon gave Rutgers-Newark a 2-1 lead, but the arm of freshman midfielder Casey Doyle proved to be the x-factor as Rutgers-Camden escaped Alumni Field with a 2-2 tie in New Jersey Athletic Conference play. 

Rutgers-Newark 2, Rutgers-Camden 2 (2OT)

Buule put back a shot into an empty left side after Scarlet Raptor sophomore goalkeeper Tim VanLiew batted away a hard shot from the right side by junior midfielder Estiven Benitez with exactly 27 minutes left to stake the Scarlet Raiders to a 2-1 lead.

But, Doyle pin-pointed a throw in just inside the left post from 30 yards out on the left side which senior back Chase Komer headed into the left side to knot the score at 2-2.

Witherspoon gave the Raiders (8-3-4, NJAC 2-2-2) a 1-0 halftime edge when the headed a direct kick off the foot of senior defender Luis Valle into the right side of the net in the 16th minute.

But, Doyle, who kept Rutgers-Newark on edge all evening with laser accurate throws into the box, evened the score when he threw a ball from 25 yards out on the right side through the hands of Raider junior goalkeeper Matt Zielyk in the 55th minute for an own goal. Ironically, Doyle and Zielyk are both from West Orange and they each played soccer at Seton Hall Prep.

Zielyk (6-3-4) finished with three saves, all in regulation, while VanLiew (6-7-3) made one of his eight saves in the second overtime period.

The Raiders held a slight edge in shots, 16-12, while Rutgers-Camden (6-7-3, NJAC 1-3-2) dominated corner kicks, 5-1.

Rutgers-Newark is now 5-0-2 in its last seven matches while the Raptors snapped a two-game losing streak.

The Raiders have now played a school-record six double overtime games this season, posting a record of 1-1-4.

Rutgers-Newark travels to Kean on Saturday for a 1 p.m. NJAC match while the Raptors are at Ramapo at 3 o'clock in another conference clash.