MONTCLAIR, NJ – Rutgers-Newark freshman forward Chris DeFalco netted a second-half goal, but top-seeded Montclair State handed the Scarlet Raiders a 4-1 defeat in the New Jersey Athletic Conference Men's Soccer Championship semifinals on Sprague Field. 

Montclair State 4, Rutgers-Newark 1

The fourth-seeded Raiders (13-5-4), who lost in double-overtime to the Red Hawks during the regular season in Montclair, held a 6-0 edge in corner kicks in the match, but MSU posted a 15-8 edge in shots.
When DeFalco scored in the 74th minute, MSU had already registered goals by Larry Geraghty, Michael Cullen and Joseph Cullen during a 20-minute span beginning in the 43rd minute. Geraghty added a late goal in the 85th minute to end any hopes of a comeback. 

Junior goalkeeper Matt Zielyk made two first-half saves for the Raiders before the Red Hawks netted all three of their shots on goal in the second half to break open the contest. The final tally came against reserve sophomore Matt Lindberg who played the final 24 minutes of the match.  Red Hawk goalkeeper Teddy Ritter made three saves to get the win. 

The three-time defending NJAC Champion Red Hawks (16-1-2) host the winner of the #3 Rowan at #2 TCNJ match (also played tonight in Ewing) on Saturday for the league title and an automatic bid to the NCAA D-III Championship Tournament. 

The upstart Raiders reached the semifinal round by downing Richard Stockton in overtime after making the conference championship tournament for the first time in program history.

Rutgers-Newark will await a probable bid to the ECAC Metro Championship playoffs which begin on Wednesday, November 11.