CAMDEN, N.J. (Oct. 24, 2018) – For the last decade, the final regular-season game meant the last game overall for the Rutgers University-Camden women's soccer team.
 
A new era is dawning for the Scarlet Raptors, however, and the 2018 team is ready for a post-season run.
 
In a New Jersey Athletic Conference game that had all the intensity of playoff action, Stockton University edged Rutgers-Camden, 2-1, in the first overtime here Wednesday night. The Ospreys finally ended the thrilling contest with 1:11 remaining in the first overtime on a goal by sophomore forward Salena LeDonne.
 
Although it was the final regular-season contest for both teams, it only served for seeding in the upcoming NJAC Women's Soccer Championship Tournament, while proving the depth of the playoff field. Both teams will host first-round games Saturday.
 
Rutgers-Camden, which hadn't reached the NJAC playoffs since 2007 and had only hosted one conference playoff game in program history (Nov. 3, 2003), will enter the six-team tournament as the No. 4 seed. The Scarlet Raptors will host No. 5 Montclair State at 3:30 p.m. Saturday. The teams played to a 1-1 draw in their regular-season game in Camden on Sept. 15.
 
Stockton, which leapfrogged the Raptors to gain the No. 3 seed, hosts No. 6 Kean Saturday at 1 p.m.
 
NJAC playoff brackets
 
Tickets for the NJAC playoffs cost $5 for adults and $2 for children, students and senior citizens. Rutgers-Camden students, faculty and staff will be admitted free with their Rutgers-Camden ID, courtesy of Student Affairs.
 
Rutgers-Camden brings an 8-7-2 overall record into its post-season run, the first winning regular-season record for the team since the 2007 club went 10-6-4 prior to the playoffs. The Scarlet Raptors posted a 5-2-2 mark in NJAC play, tying the program's best conference record ever, set by the 2003 team, which also went 5-2-2 in the NJAC. The 2005 Scarlet Raptors also won five conference games, going 5-4.
 
Stockton heads into the playoffs with a 13-3-4 record after closing its NJAC season with a 6-2-1 mark. The Ospreys now own a 17-1-3 mark against Rutgers-Camden in the all-time series, but Wednesday's contest hardly reflected that statistic. The two clubs were as close as they could be, with both collecting nine shots and three corner kicks.
 
On a cold night at Rutgers-Camden Community Park, the action on the field was played at a blistering pace, with both teams displaying their talent throughout the field and swapping momentum. Both defenses, meanwhile, managed to contain dangerous attacks throughout the contest, limiting their opponent to very few solid scoring chances.
 
Both teams had only three shots in the opening half, and only one presented a golden opportunity. With Raptor sophomore goalie Natalie Eberhardt out of the net to break up a play, LeDonne took a shot from the left of the box toward an open net, but the ball was cleared by a backsave from senior defender Brielle Stoner. Later in the half, the Raptors missed a great opportunity on a point-blank shot that was hit over the crossbar.
 
Rutgers-Camden broke the scoring ice only 1:26 into the second half when junior midfielders Taylor O'Rourke and Sarah Zuzulock combined on a goal. O'Rourke (pictured above), a transfer from Camden County College, took a feed from Zuzulock near the right post and angled a shot into the left panel for her first goal as a Scarlet Raptor. It was the fourth assist for Zuzulock, tying sophomore forward Meghan Wachira for the team lead.
 
Stockton tied the game in the 57th minute when sophomore Alexa Simonetti finished her seventh goal of the season. She headed in a corner kick from junior Michelle Sander over the leaping Eberhardt.
 
Late in the first overtime, the Ospreys collected the winning tally after sophomore back Dasey DiElmo lofted a long ball from the right side to the far left post. LeDonne hit a high shot into the net for her 11th goal of the year, and fourth game winner.
 
Eberhardt finished with five saves for the Scarlet Raptors, who also had a backsave from Stoner. Senior keeper Nicole Pallante collected four saves for the Ospreys.