Box Score

CAMDEN, N.J. (Oct. 7, 2017) – The Rutgers University-Camden men's soccer team scored four unanswered goals in the second half, breaking a 1-1 halftime deadlock, and went on to defeat New Jersey City University, 5-1, in a New Jersey Athletic Conference game here Saturday afternoon.
 
Rutgers-Camden stretched its unbeaten streak to five games (3-0-2) and hiked its record to 6-5-3. The Scarlet Raptors are now 2-2-1 in the NJAC and have won six straight games against the Gothic Knights in conference play. Rutgers-Camden is 11-0-4 in its last 15 games against NJCU and owns a 25-8-8 lead in the all-time series.
 
The Gothic Knights fall to 4-6-2 overall and 0-4-1 in the NJAC.
 
Despite outshooting the Gothic Knights, 3-0, and controlling the first seven minutes of the game, Rutgers-Camden saw NJCU take the lead when it scored on its first shot. Freshman forward Jonathan Franco (South River, NJ/South River) collected a loose ball outside the top of the box and hit a shot into the left panel for his second goal of the season at 7:00.
 
The Scarlet Raptors didn't take long to tie the game, with junior midfielder Vincenzo Masitti (New Egypt, NJ/New Egypt) producing his third goal of the season at 8:20. He was assisted by senior forwards Aaron Muse (Lumberton, NJ/Rancocas Valley) and Shane Guyer (Hammonton, NJ/Hammonton). Muse sent a cross from the left side that was redirected in the box to the far post, where Masitti scored.
 
Rutgers-Camden held a 10-4 advantage in shots and a 7-0 margin in corner kicks during the first half, but only three of those shots were on goal. The other two were saved by NJCU freshman Eric Lopes Silva (Newark, NJ/Newark East Side).
 
The Scarlet Raptors' pressure finally paid off in the second half, beginning only 3:04 into the final half when freshman forward Joni Gjyleri (Egg Harbor Township, NJ/Egg Harbor Township), pictured above, scored from near the goal line, assisted by Masitti. It was Gjyleri's third goal of the season and his first career game-winning tally.
 
In the 74th minute, a perfect feed to the far left side of the goal by junior midfielder Walter Barreto (East Windsor, NJ/Hightstown) set up the team-leading sixth goal of the season by senior midfielder Clayton Taylor (Mendham, NJ/West Morris-Mendham). It was Barreto's second assist of the season.
 
The Raptors' last two goals were produced in the final 5:03 by sophomore midfielder Cristian Ognibene (Marlton, NJ/Cherokee). A transfer from LaSalle University, Ognibene notched his first collegiate goal at 84:57, one-touching the ball inside the right post on a cross from the left side by Gjyleri. It was Gjyleri's first collegiate assist.
 
With three seconds left on the clock, Ognibene chipped in his second goal from inside the box, aided by a perfect cross from senior midfielder Aaron Williams (Wollongong, Australia/Cedars Christian College). It was Williams' first point of the year and his first assist at Rutgers-Camden.
 
The Scarlet Raptors finished with advantages of 20-9 in shots and 9-3 in corner kicks. Lopes Silva had three saves for the Gothic Knights, while junior James Brett (Palmyra, NJ/Palmyra) made three saves to collect the win for Rutgers-Camden.
 
Both teams return to action with home NJAC games Wednesday. NJCU faces Kean University at 3 p.m. Rutgers-Camden entertains nationally-ranked Rowan University at 7 p.m.