NEWARK, N.J. (September 30, 2017) – The nationally-ranked No. 3 Rutgers University-Newark men's soccer team exploded for three goals in a span of 11:59 of game time in the first half and never looked back in what was a 3-1 win over New Jersey Athletic Conference rival The College of New Jersey Saturday afternoon at Alumni Field.
 
Sophomore Fabio De Sousa had two goals, senior Hubert Dul had a goal and an assist and sophomore goalkeeper Andres Medina made a season-best seven saves as the Scarlet Raiders improved to 12-0-0 overall and 4-0-0 in the conference. Rutgers-Newark has now won an unprecedented 24-straight regular-season games dating back to September of 2016.
 
After the game's first 15 minutes were played evenly, Rutgers-Newark seized control in what seemed like an instant.
 
De Sousa scored his first at 17:25 thanks to a long ball from Dul. The veteran hit De Sousa who was making a run down the right seam, and De Sousa controlled and beat Lion goalkeeper Michael Kayal with a nifty move. From there he chased down the ball, controlled again just before the endline and lifted a shot into the upper-left corner from a very challenging angle.
 
Just 2:30 later it was Dul's turn to get on the scoreboard, punching in a rebound. A pretty ball was played in front, and freshman Adrian Velazquez charged in for a header. The initial attempt was stopped by Kayal who made a marvelous save, but Dul stayed with the rebound to pick up his fourth goal of the season. Velazquez registered his third assist on the play.
 
De Sousa all-but-sealed the win with his second score of the game, converting a penalty kick opportunity into his 11th of the year. Prior to the PK, De Sousa masterfully drew a foul inside the top-left of the box on a Lion defender.
 
TCNJ (4-5-2 overall, 0-2-2 NJAC) never quit in the game, scoring in the 74th minute and forcing Medina to make several diving denials in the second half. Sam Monaco was credited with the goal and Peter Dresch picked up the assist as the latter chased down a rebound off the crossbar and found the former in front.
 
The goal was just the third Rutgers-Newark has given up as the Scarlet Raiders now have plus-35 goal differential (38-3).
 
Each team took five corners in the match, and the Lions ended with an 8-7 edge in shots on goal and a 17-16 margin in total shots.
 
Five of the seven saves Medina made came in the second half, and three of those five were diving denials. The sophomore is now 12-0-0 in goal this season for Rutgers-Newark.
 
De Sousa – who now has 11 goals this year – has been on a scoring bonanza, tallying at least once in six-straight outings and 7-of-8. Dul is now tied for second on the Scarlet Raiders with 11 points and he leads Rutgers-Newark with five assists.
 
R-N will face a stiff test Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m. when the Raiders travel to Massachusetts to face nationally-ranked No. 21 Amherst College. Rutgers-Newark last played at Amherst in the 'Sweet 16' of the 2016 NCAA Tournament, topping Oneonta in a Sectional semifinal, but falling to Brandeis in the Sectional final.
 
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