Box Score

PATERSON, N.J. (Sept. 19, 2015) – Just when it looked like the William Paterson University men's soccer team might be getting some momentum here Saturday night, senior Mike Ryan (Marlton, NJ/Cherokee) helped the Rutgers University-Camden Scarlet Raptors grab it right back, in record-setting fashion.
 
Ryan notched his team-leading sixth goal only 4:02 after Paterson tied the score and the Raptors went on to defeat the Pioneers, 3-1, in the New Jersey Athletic Conference opener for both teams. It was the program-record 20th game-winning goal during Ryan's stellar career.
 
Rutgers-Camden improves to 5-1-1 overall and 1-0 in the NJAC, running its unbeaten streak to four games (3-0-1). William Paterson falls to 2-4-1 and 0-1.
 
The victory was the Scarlet Raptors' seventh straight in the series against the Pioneers, and increased their unbeaten streak against Paterson to 10 games (8-0-2) since their last defeat in 2006. Rutgers-Camden leads the all-time series, 16-12-7.
 
The Scarlet Raptors scored the game's lone first-half goal on a strike by senior midfielder Connor Hurff (Sewell, NJ/St. Augustine Prep) at 16:15. Hurff's fifth goal of the season came after he dribbled across the top of the box and fired a shot into the bottom right corner.
 
That tally stood up until the Pioneers tied the game at 63:16 on a left-footed strike by junior midfielder Frank Tucker (Sicklerville, NJ/Pennsauken) into the top right corner. It was assisted by junior midfielder Musa Sackoon (North Plainfield, NJ/St. Benedict's Prep).
 
Only four minutes later, Ryan did what he has done more than anyone in program history. The senior forward launched a shot from the top of the box into the bottom right corner of the goal for what turned out to be the record-setting 20th game-winning goal of his Scarlet Raptor career. He broke the tie he had shared at the top of the career chart with former teammate Mitch Grotti (2010-13). 
 
Ryan's strike, assisted by Connor Hurff, came at 67:18 and lifted his career record total to 63 goals, to go along with his 15 assists. His program-record 141 points lifts him into a 10th-place tie on the all-time NJAC scoring list with former Ramapo College star Rob Santaniello (2009-12). His next target on the NJAC scoring list is former College of New Jersey player Wayne Huston (144 points from 1962-65).
 
For Hurff, the game-winning assist capped a big week in which he also notched the game-winning goal in overtime against Cabrini College Wednesday and scored the first goal against Paterson. He now owns 17 points (five goals, seven assists), tops on the Scarlet Raptors. Ryan is second in scoring (six goals, two assists for 14 points).
 
Rutgers-Camden capped off the night with a penalty kick tally by senior midfielder Grant Taylor (Mendham, NJ/West Morris-Mendham) at 78:41.
 
Both teams took nine shots, while Paterson held an 8-2 advantage in corner kicks. Raptor freshman goalie James Brett (Palmyra, NJ/Palmyra) picked up the win with four saves. Paterson split goalies, with freshman Mike Villegas (Bergenfield, NJ/Pascack Valley) making one save and allowing one goal in the first 51 minutes. Freshman Justin Fernandes (Manalapan, NJ/Manalapan) took the loss in the final 39 minutes, allowing two goals and making two saves.
 
Rutgers-Camden returns to action Monday night when it hosts NJAC rival New Jersey City University at 7 p.m.