Box Score

WAYNE, N.J. – Sophomore forward Mike Ryan (Marlton, NJ/Cherokee) exploded for two goals to break the longest scoring drought of his collegiate career and lift the nationally-ranked Rutgers University-Camden men's soccer team to a 3-1 victory over William Paterson University in a New Jersey Athletic Conference game here Saturday.

Rutgers-Camden, which is ranked No. 4 in the D3soccer.com Top 25 and No. 8 in the NSCAA poll, improves to 14-0-2 and extends its two-year undefeated string to 28 games (23-0-5). The streak ties the Raptors for 12th place on the all-time NCAA Division III list for consecutive games without a loss. They are locked in a four-way tie with Elizabethtown (1989-90), Wisconsin-Oshkosh (1994-95) and Trinity, Texas (2001-02).

The Scarlet Raptors improved to 5-0-2 in the NJAC.

Paterson falls to 7-6-2 overall and 2-4-1 in the conference.

Ryan, who hadn't scored a point in four games, made up for lost time with his fifth two-goal game of the season and the eighth of his collegiate career. The two goals give him 14 for the season, only three shy of the total he scored while earning All-American honors as a freshman.

Ryan's first goal came at 19:28 on a shot from the right side, beating Paterson goalie Mike Diacheysn (Nutley, NJ/Nutley) as he came out of the net. It was assisted by senior midfielder Keegan Balle (Naperville, IL/Neuqua Valley), who added a goal of his own 15 minutes later. Balle had a breakaway up the middle and hit a shot to the left bottom corner at 34:01, notching his third goal of the season.

Paterson made it a one-goal game at 61:40 when senior midfielder Matt Nigro (Morganville, NJ/Marlboro) scored his sixth tally of the year, assisted by junior midfielder Omar Jallow (Union City, NJ/Union City).

Ryan short-circuited any thoughts of a Paterson comeback, however, when he notched his second goal of the game only 3:06 later. He was sprung on a long pass from senior midfielder Stevan Austino (Buena, NJ/Buena Regional) and beat defenders up the middle to bury a shot in the lower right corner.

Paterson outshot Rutgers-Camden overall, 16-11, and held a 5-3 edge in corner kicks.

Raptor senior goalie Mike Randall (Cherry Hill, NJ/Cherry Hill East) made seven saves to notch his 14th win of the season. Diacheysn had four saves for William Paterson.

Rutgers-Camden returns to action Tuesday with a 4 p.m. non-conference game at Cairn University. The Raptors' next home game is Oct. 26 when they host Ramapo College at 1 p.m.