MADISON, NJ – Rutgers-Newark fell to top-seeded Drew University, 3-0, in the semifinals of the ECAC Metro-Upstate in Ranger Stadium ending a bitter-sweet season.

BOX SCORE & PLAY-BY-PLAY

Sophomore goalkeeper Jonathan Frances posted nine saves for the Raiders (12-9-1) but the Rangers piled up a 20-9 edge in shots and a 7-2 advantage in corner kicks in the contest. Drew, the defending ECAC Metro Champion, advances to Sunday's 1 p.m. championship match against the winner of #3 Rutgers-Camden against #2 Elmira.

Sophomore midfielder Kevin Walpole netted two first half goals – including one with less than a second left in the period – to put the Rangers (14-3-3) in command of the contest. Matthew Greenberg, who assisted on Walpole's opening goal, notched an insurance goal for Drew in the 87th minute.

Drew scored the back-breaking goal with less than a second left in the opening half following a yellow card issued at 44:57. Drew freshman defender RJ Voorman struck a free kick from midfield which was redirected into the lower right side of the net by Walpole. The goal was devastating to the Raiders who had scrapped to keep things close for the entire period.

Walpole had broken the ice with a header off of a cross from the right side by senior midfielder Matt Greenberg in the 36th minute, but Rutgers-Newark stayed close despite being out-shot, 9-5, in the half. Voorman also assisted on Greenberg's goal.

Sophomore goalkeeper Rich Boland made six saves to post a shutout win for the Rangers.  Sophomores Nick Kyprianou and Brian Barrera each put two shots on goal to lead the Raider assault.

Rutgers-Newark finishes a season highlighted by a dozen wins and a third straight trip to the ECAC Championships, but the year could have been much better with a few breaks. The Raiders were shut out eight times in their final 15 matches despite stats which defy those results. On the year, Rutgers-Newark out-shot its opponents 452-285 and put 91 more shots on goal (209-118) than their opponents.

Fourth-year head coach Kevin East loses eight seniors to graduation, but he returns a strong nucleus for 2011.