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NEWARK, N.J. (Sept. 19, 2015) -- Sophomore defender Isaiah Kuris (Mount Holly, NJ/Rancocas Valley) scored a goal off a free kick from junior midfielder Sebastian Gostynski (Garfield, NJ/Saint Charles North) with just three seconds remaining in regulation, leading Rutgers-Newark to a thrilling 3-2 victory over The College of New Jersey Saturday night at Alumni Field.

It marked the New Jersey Athletic Conference opener for both squads, as TCNJ (5-1-2) fell for the first time this season, while the Scarlet Raiders (7-2) won for the sixth straight match.

With the game tied at 2-2 off a goal by TCNJ's Thomas Hogue in the 88th minute, the Scarlet Raiders came down the field, looking for one last chance. Junior forward Charlie O'Connell (Secaucus, NJ/Secaucus) was taken down and a foul was called with just 34 seconds left. With the clock winding down, Gostynski, who had assisted a goal earlier in the match, calmly struck a crossing pass to the far right corner of the goal, where an alert Kuris knocked it in off the set piece for his first goal of the season and just the second of his collegiate career.

Kuris' goal set off an absolute frenzy among the Scarlet Raiders, who stormed the field to celebrate, but had to remember that three seconds were still on the clock. But the Lions kicked the ball from midfield, ending the game and setting off another wild celebration.

After the two teams were scoreless for the first 30 minutes, the Scarlet Raiders broke free when sophomore forward Chigozie Atubi (North Plainfield, NJ/North Plainfield) made a brilliant play to avoid two defenders, then sent a ball to the far left corner where O'Connell headed it home for his fifth goal of the season, giving the Scarlet Raiders the 1-0 lead that they held into halftime.

The game appeared to be in the Scarlet Raiders' command for the first 65 minutes, but that's when freshman defender Nick Provenzano (Stockton, NJ) blasted a rocket left-footed kick past R-N senior goalkeeper Matt Broomall (Somers Point, NJ/Mainland Regional) that tied the game at 1-1.

The Scarlet Raiders wasted little time to take control of the game once more, when freshman forward Timothy Farias (Kearny, NJ/Kearny) scored his second goal in as many games, blasting home a shot off the field from Gostynski just 1:35 after Provenzano scored. Farias' heroics seemed to be enough to give him a college game-winner.

But the Lions were undaunted and tied the match on Hogue's goal, setting up Kuris' heroics.

Broomall was credited with making three saves in the victory, however two of Broomall's saves saved the day down the stretch.

Jake Nesturuk had a brilliant game in goal for TCNJ, stopping eight shots, including three from point blank range in the closing minutes to suffer his first setback.

The Scarlet Raiders are on the road for their next two contests against St. Joseph's of Long Island and NJAC foe Rowan. They return home to face Ramapo on Wednesday, Sept. 30 at 7 pm.