NEWARK, N.J. | On Saturday night under a starry sky, the Scarlet Raiders women's soccer team stepped on the field to battle the Ospreys in New Jersey Athletic Conference action. Rutgers University-Newark (6-4-1, 0-1-1) played out to a 0-0 draw against NJAC powerhouse, Stockton University (8-1-1, 1-0-1), tonight under the lights at Frederick Douglass Field.
The Scarlet Raiders came out with something to prove and didn't sit back against the Ospreys as they came out strong and aggressive.
Ana Silveira and
Deirdre Mackin both tried to put a shot on target in the first five minutes, however, both had their attempts blocked by a defender.
Tamia Howell entered the game and gave the Scarlet Raiders a spark up top which nearly led to them taking a 1-0 lead. Howell found herself alone in the box after receiving a pass but saw her shot trickle past the far post and out of play. In the waning moments of the first half,
Iasia Goeloe was installed into the game and found herself on the end of a corner kick. Goeloe connected with the cross but watched as it bounced off of the crossbar and cleared by the Ospreys.
The Scarlet Raiders didn't give the Ospreys and room to breathe tonight and won a majority of the 50-50 balls.
Jessica Moreno was outstanding tonight, locking down the midfield and winning balls in the air to prevent Stockton from moving freely in the center of the pitch.
After both teams were unable to find the net in regulation the game headed into the first of two extra times with the golden goal rule in effect. The woodwork on the far end of the field was the keeper's friend tonight as a shot by Alexa Simonetti bounced off of the post four minutes into the first extra time. Just three minutes later,
Heidi Paulson's incredible night continued when she stopped a point-blank shot from Dasey DiElmo to prevent the Ospreys from stealing a road win.
With under a minute remaining in the second extra time, the Scarlet Raiders were awarded a free-kick from 24 yards out. After
Ana Silveira just missed hitting the top right corner in the first half, it was Mackin's turn to give it a go. Mackin curled her shot over the wall to the far post and Jennifer Devault had to come up with a big save that careened off of the crossbar once again preventing the Scarlet Raiders from earning a much deserved three NJAC points.
Paulson made seven big saves in the game while her defensive line cleared all of the scrap and prevented harmful passes from getting through.
Both teams would settle for a draw to earn a crucial NJAC point as they begin the meat of the NJAC schedule where every point matters. Up next for the Scarlet Raiders is Ramapo College in Mahwah, NJ on Wednesday, October 2.
