NEWARK, NJ – Junior midfielder Nick Kyprianou connected on a long free kick in the first minute and Rutgers-Newark held on for a 1-1 double-overtime tie against William Paterson in a New Jersey Athletic Conference match on Alumni Field.

BOX SCORE & PLAY-BY-PLAY

After Kyprianou put his high shot from just a stride inside the midfield line into the top left side of the net on the first shot of the match with only 32 seconds gone, the Scarlet Raiders (10-6-2, NJAC 3-2-2) survived a 31-4 disparity in shots and a 14-4 deficit in corner kicks to tie the Pioneers (11-3-3, NJAC 4-2-2).

Junior goalkeeper Matt Lindberg, making just his second start of the season, made a career high 10 saves against the potent WPU attack while his counterpart, senior Zach Collins needed only one first-half save to earn the tie.

The Raider defense also came up with pair of team saves including one by sophomore defender Jason Chung who headed away a header by WPU freshman Marcus Hackett that was just feet away from giving the Pioneers a lead in the 59th minute.

Junior midfielder Dan Patton put away a header chip into the heart of the box by junior forward Naeem Boucher following a corner kick in the 21st minute to level the score.

The Pioneers outshot the Raiders, 8-0, in the overtime periods – taking six shots in the second 10-minute session.

The tie coupled with a loss earlier in the day by Ramapo College at league-leading Rutgers-Camden gave Rutgers-Newark its second ever NJAC Championship Tournament playoff berth.  The Raiders went to the 6-team affair for the first time in 2009.

Rutgers-Newark hosts Mount St. Mary on Monday at 7:30 p.m. on Senior Night on Alumni Field.