NEWARK, N.J. (September 24, 2016) – Freshman Fabio De Sousa scored twice to help lift the Rutgers University-Newark men's soccer team to a key New Jersey Athletic Conference victory over Kean University Saturday night in front of a capacity crowd at Alumni Field.
 
Rutgers-Newark improves to 8-2-0 overall and 1-1-0 in the NJAC, while Kean drops to an identical 8-2-0 overall and 1-1-0 in the league. The Scarlet Raiders are now 2-0-0 at home and return to action Monday evening when they host St. Joseph's College – Long Island.
 
De Sousa tallied twice in the first half, the first coming on a penalty kick and the second on a feed from sophomore Zachary Gillespie.
 
While a Scarlet Raider corner was traveling in the air, Cougar goalkeeper Derek Phells pushed an R-N offensive player in the back, setting up the PK for De Sousa who came through with his fifth goal of the season.
 
Kean would tie the match on a penalty kick of its own after a bizarre call just off the end line about 10 yards wide of the goal. Senior Sev Kherlopian took advantage of the opportunity, tallying for the 11th time this season to knot the match at one-all at 33:51.
 
De Sousa's second would go down as the game-winner and it came 4:08 after the Cougar equalizer. He received Gillespie's pass just outside the top of the box, and moving to his left, he ripped a low-liner across his body into the lower-right for the tally. The assist was the first of the year for Gillespie.
 
The first half was played a scorching pace, with each side getting up and down the entire pitch in an instant. De Sousa had a marvelous chance early but his attempt clanged off the post, with Kherlopian getting two good chances moments later that Scarlet Raider freshman goalkeeper Andres Medina saved.
 
At 12:39, Medina made a spectacular denial, fully extending to his left to smother what looked to be a goal for the Cougars' Jelani Williams.
 
In the second half, both teams settled in and quality chances were few and far between. With a shade more than 12 minutes to play, Rutgers-Newark nearly added insurance as junior Chigozie Atubi had a chance stopped by Phells. Moments later, senior Dylan Elias lofted a cross into the box and classmate Mark Pazmino's header was also saved.
 
Kean created a strong opportunity with 45 seconds on the clock when Kenny Santos' header was swatted away by Medina as the Scarlet Raider keeper was falling to the ground. The ball was cleared, and Rutgers-Newark earned the key conference win much to the delight of the big home crowd.
 
Kean ended with a 19-14 advantage in shots, but the Scarlet Raiders held a 9-8 edge in shots on goal. R-N also had an 8-5 margin in corners, with each goalkeeper making seven saves on the night.