Box Score

CAMDEN, N.J. (Sept. 30, 2017) – Sophomore back Antonio Romero (Cherry Hill, NJ/Cherry Hill East) headed home his first goal of the season, off a restart from junior midfielder Vincenzo Masitti (New Egypt, NJ/New Egypt) early in the second half to lift the Rutgers University-Camden men's soccer team over Ramapo College, 2-1, here Saturday afternoon.
 
Rutgers-Camden improves to 4-5-2 overall and wins its first game in New Jersey Athletic Conference play, hiking its conference mark to 1-2-1. Ramapo falls to 4-7 overall and 1-3 in the NJAC. The Roadrunners have gone 1-4 in their last five games, with all the losses coming by one goal, three of them in the second overtime.
 
Rutgers-Camden lifts its record to 19-13-5 in the all-time series against Ramapo.
 
With two teams entering the game desperately seeking a conference win, it was the Scarlet Raptors who struck first on a goal by senior back Aaron Muse (Lumberton, NJ/Rancocas Valley) only 6:32 into the game. Senior forward Shane Guyer (Hammonton, NJ/Hammonton) trapped the ball down in the midfield and fed it to sophomore back Marcial Islas-Marroquin (Bridgeton, NJ/Bridgeton), who worked free on the right side and sent a cross toward the far left post, where Muse finished off his third goal of the season. The assist was the first career point for Islas-Marroquin.
 
Midway through the half, Ramapo notched the equalizer after Raptor junior goalie James Brett (Palmyra, NJ/Palmyra) came to the top of the box in an attempt to break up a long ball in the air. The partially punched ball fell to the feet of junior midfielder Edward Franzoni (Brielle, NJ/Manasquan), who chipped a shot over the retreating Brett into the net. The goal, at 29:35, was his third of the season.
 
In the last minute of the opening half, Ramapo appeared poised to take the lead with a loose ball bouncing all around the box, but Rutgers-Camden managed to clear the danger and head into halftime tied, 1-1.
 
The Scarlet Raptors collected the deciding goal at 52:54 after a Ramapo foul gave Rutgers-Camden a long restart from the right side. Masitti sent a high ball toward the left post, where the 6-foot-5 Romero (#18, pictured above) finished off his first goal of the season with a leaping header. Romero now owns two career goals in his second season, with both being game winners.
 
Ramapo finished with a 14-11 edge in shots and a 2-0 advantage in corner kicks. Brett made four saves to notch his 25th career victory for the Scarlet Raptors. Ramapo split goalie duties, with both senior Ryan Sprague (Bayonne, NJ/Bayonne) and junior Bryan Jones (Waretown, NJ/Central) allowing one goal and making one save in 45 minutes of playing time. Sprague played the first half and Jones took the loss in the second half.
 
The Scarlet Raptors return to action tomorrow when they host Penn State-Abington n a 2 p.m. non-conference game.
 
Ramapo College returns to action Wednesday, hosting City College of New York in a 3:30 p.m. non-conference game.