NEWARK, N.J. – In a physical, chippy contest at Frederick Douglass Field, Rutgers-Newark men's soccer battled back in the second half but ultimately fell 2-1 to SUNY New Paltz on Wednesday night.
The Scarlet Raiders (5-3-4) weathered an aggressive opening stretch from both sides, with the intensity building throughout the first half. Rutgers-Newark created early opportunities through Zahradeen Amadou and Daniel Velazquez, but New Paltz goalkeeper Austin Sheehan turned aside both attempts to keep the match scoreless.
New Paltz (8-4-1) broke through in the 29th minute when Brandon Dhanoolal found the back of the net to give the visitors a 1-0 advantage. The physical play continued as both teams battled for possession and looked to gain control before halftime.
The visitors extended their lead in the 66th minute when Cody Hamilton finished a chance off an assist from Chase Marshall, putting the Scarlet Raiders in a two-goal hole.
Rutgers-Newark responded with urgency, pushing forward in search of a way back into the match. In the 76th minute, Augusto Vieira cut the deficit to one with his fifth goal of the season, finishing a pass from Noah Russon to make it 2-1.
The Scarlet Raiders continued to press in the closing stages, looking for an equalizer, but New Paltz held on to secure the road victory.
Rutgers-Newark finished with a 10-6 advantage in shots and earned four corner kicks, including three in the second half, as the Scarlet Raiders mounted their late push. David Bejarano recorded one save in goal.
The Scarlet Raiders will look to regroup this Saturday, October 17th as they travel to South Jersey for a matchup with the rival Scarlet Raptors of Rutgers-Camden.
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