CAMDEN, N.J. (April 14, 2021) – The Rutgers University-Camden women's soccer team set program standards throughout its run to the New Jersey Athletic Conference title game this season.
The final goal, however, proved to be just out of reach this season as the top-seeded Scarlet Raptors were edged by second-seeded Montclair State University, 1-0, in the NJAC championship game here Wednesday night.
With their only loss of the season, the Scarlet Raptors end their historic campaign with a 5-1-1 record. Montclair State, which won the fourth NJAC crown in its women's soccer history, finishes at 5-0-2.
In a defensive struggle reflecting the strengths of the two teams, the only goal of the game came at 70:27, when a long shot by Red Hawks sophomore Chisom Onyewuenyi looped under the crossbar with Raptor freshman goalie
Chloe Beasley out of the net. It was only the second goal the Scarlet Raptors allowed all season long.
Rutgers-Camden came out strong in the scoreless first half, but it was Montclair State that had the best scoring opportunity in the 30th minute. Freshman Lauren Ernst went one-on-one with Beasley, who charged to the top of the box to make a stellar save. Both Beasley and Montclair State senior keeper Phoebe Bledsoe made one save apiece in the first half, when each team had three shots.
The Red Hawks outshot the Scarlet Raptors, 5-2, in the second half and held an advantage in corner kicks by a 5-1 margin in the game.
Beasley finished with three saves, while Bledsoe had two.
Despite the loss, the Scarlet Raptors produced numerous program firsts, including the first NJAC playoff win (a 3-1 semifinal victory over Ramapo College April 10), the first time being the top seed in the playoffs and the first trip to both the semifinals and finals. They also posted their best six-game record against NJAC teams with their 5-0-1 mark heading into the title game, and notched five consecutive shutouts against NJAC opponents for the first time ever.
Ramapo's goal in the NJAC semifinals ended Rutgers-Camden's shutout streak at 523:31, another program record. The Scarlet Raptors also produced six weekly NJAC Player of the Week/Rookie of the Week honorees, one more than the previous season mark set in 2003, and will undoubtedly earn several accolades when the All-NJAC Women's Soccer Team is released next week.
