Box Score
CAMDEN, NJ – A slow start and missed scoring opportunities by Rutgers-Newark prevented the Scarlet Raiders from claiming the first New Jersey Athletic Conference Championship in program history.
Top-seeded and unbeaten Rutgers-Camden netted a pair of goals in the opening six minutes and third-seeded Rutgers-Newark failed to score for the first time this season as the Scarlet Raptors posted a 2-0 win for their third consecutive NJAC title.
In the first meeting ever between Newark and Camden athletic teams in a championship final of the NJAC was an even, hard-fought battle, but a penalty kick goal in the third minute helped the home team score twice in two minutes and 34 seconds to tilt the outcome.
Sophomore goalkeeper
Matt Broomall made six saves while Raptor senior goalkeeper Mike Randall tied the program record with his 11th shutout of the season with six stops.
The Raiders worked for a 21-19 edge in shots while each squad took three corner kicks. Randall watched several undefenable shots sail just high or wide of the Raptor goal in each period.
Senior midfielder Mitch Grotti hammered a penalty kick past a diving Broomall into the left side of the net just 2:14 into the contest. A hand ball in the box was called when Raptor sophomore forward Mike Ryan twisted around a Raider defender before unleashing a shot to set up the score.
At 5:48, senior midfielder Keegan Balle put away a throw in from the right side from junior midfielder Joe Auleta to stun the Raiders.
Rutgers-Newark had ample chances to score. Each team took eight shots in the opening period while the Raiders took 13 tries in the final 45 minutes. Senior forward
Daniel Naranjo rifled a shot off the left post in the 62nd minute and five other shots were blocked by Raptor defenders.
The Rutgers-Newark defense stiffened after the difficult start to stymie the potent Rutgers-Camden attack. Both teams had excellent scoring chances turned away by solid defense.
Rutgers-Camden (19-0-2) gained the NJAC's automatic berth to the NCAA D-III Championship Tournament while Rutgers-Newark (17-5-1) will have to wait until Monday to find out if it will gain an at-large berth to the national playoffs.
Ranked fifth in the South Atlantic Region entering this week's play, the Raiders stand a good chance of making the championship field for the first time in program history.
