NJCU Advances with Win Over Juniata
MADISON, N.J. – A pair of unassisted goals lifts No. 4 New Jersey City University to a 2-1 victory over No. 5 Juniata College in the quarterfinals of the 2024 ECAC Division III Women’s Soccer Championship. The Gothic Knights advanced to the semifinals and will face the University of Hartford next Saturday at 11 a.m. in Hartford, Conn.
NJCU improves to 8-4-7 on the season while the Eagles finish the year at 8-8-2.
The Gothic Knights wasted no time as they peppered four shots with two of them being on net before allowing the Eagles to get a shot off. Following an NJCU corner kick at 25:45, Beatriz Oliveira found the back of the net at 31:09 to put the Gothic Knights in front. The NJCU defense allowed just one shot for the rest of the half before going into the locker up, 1-0.
Coming out of halftime, both teams were nailed with yellow cards at 51:41 before either team got a shot off. Following the penalties NJCU was able to rattle off three shots with one of them being on goal. Ensuing a Gothic Knights foul, Juniata was able to tie things up at one when Sydney Simpson netted an unassisted goal at 78:58. The NJCU defense after that didn’t give up a shot, which allowed the offense to take over as it tallied five straight shots, and on its sixth attempt, Kyanah-Belle Jean-Louis scored the game-winner at 87:09.
NJCU as a team finished the match with 22 shots with eight of them on goal. In the second half, the Gothic Knights outshot the Eagles 13-1.
Gineth Martinez finished with a match-high six shots with two on goal for NJCU while her teammate Kim Brites tallied five shots with two of them being goal.
NJCU goalie Sophia Mannio tallied a pair of saves on three shots.
Lorraine Valenzuela finished with six saves for Juniata.
Gabriella Sharpe and Gineth Arias Martinez recorded the Eagles’ other two shots on goal.