CAMDEN, N.J. (Oct. 19, 2022) – It was a game of two very different halves here Wednesday night as the Rutgers University-Camden women's soccer team rallied from a 3-0 halftime deficit to tie Stockton University, 3-3, in New Jersey Athletic Conference action.
The result was huge for the Scarlet Raptors, who remained in fourth place in the NJAC standings with a 3-1-3 conference record. Stockton, which could have jumped Rutgers-Camden in the standings with a win, instead fell to 2-3-2 and dropped into seventh place in the conference standings with two games remaining.
The top six teams make the NJAC playoffs, with the first two receiving first-round byes and the third and fourth teams getting a first-round home game.
Rutgers-Camden is 4-6-4 overall and Stockton is 7-7-4 overall.
In a game where the Scarlet Raptors celebrated Senior Night with a pre-game ceremony for
Brianna Baer, Mya Bocchicchio, Lauren Bone, Lindsay Hernandez and
Maggie Horn, Rutgers-Camden came out flat in the opening half and Stockton took advantage of its opportunities.
Senior Night photos
The Ospreys scored only 1:14 into the game. Sophomore
Erica Dietz headed in a goal at the right post off a long lofted ball into the box by Sophia Drea. Rutgers-Camden's best chance in the first half came when Bone hit a shot off the crossbar three minutes later. Other than that, Stockton controlled the half, holding a 9-3 advantage in shots. The Ospreys added two goals by sophomore midfielder Emily Houck in a span of 1:10 in the 19th and 20th minute on their way to a 3-0 halftime lead.
Rutgers-Camden came out in the second half like a different team and quickly spoiled the Ospreys' shutout bid 3:20 into the half on a long shot by forward
Maresa Savarese. It was the team-leading fourth goal of the season for the talented freshman.
Less than three minutes later, Horn cut the Stockton lead to one goal, scoring on a high shot from the top of the box that sailed over Stockton freshman keeper Morgan Keil.
With Rutgers-Camden gaining momentum and Stockton suddenly on its heels, the Scarlet Raptors finally notched the tying goal on another tally by Horn. Her shot at 84:06 deflected off a crowd in the box and looped into the goal over Keil. It was her third goal of the season and allowed her to tie Savarese for the team scoring lead with nine points. Horn also leads the team with three assists.
Rutgers-Camden junior goalie
Kayla McKeever finished with six saves, while Keil had three.
Stockton had a 15-11 edge in shots for the game, while Rutgers-Camden held a 3-2 lead in corner kicks.
Rutgers-Camden entertains Montclair State University in its final regular-season home game Saturday at 1 p.m. The Red Hawks are currently ranked 12th in the United Soccer Coaches Division III Top 25 poll and 13th in the D3soccer.com Top 25 poll.
Rutgers-Camden closes the regular season at nationally-ranked The College of New Jersey in a 6 p.m. NJAC game Oct. 26. The Lions currently are ranked 18th and 15th in the two national polls.
