The Red Hawks found the back of the net twice to secure a 2-0 victory in their first NJAC game this season, defeating New Jersey City University at home in MSU Soccer Park.
Head coach Todd Tumelty said that the conference schedule always produces challenging matchups.
“The NJAC it’s another animal,” head coach Todd Tumetly said. “It’s more physical, every team there’s more rivalries and every team is up to beat you.”
It was deadlocked between the two teams throughout the first 15 minutes. A cross from senior defender Ian Chesney transformed into a shot on goal, forcing the Gothic Knights goalkeeper to make a spectacular save.
The Red Hawks then had another opportunity from a corner taken by fifth-year midfielder Osbin Mendez, but Chesney’s header went just wide of the net.
In the seventeenth minute, senior forward Andre Shelton was fouled inside the penalty box and the referee called it for a penalty kick for the Red Hawks. Shelton said that poor defense from his opponent led to the call.
“I was dribbling around the guy, and I didn’t know what he was trying to do,” Shelton said. “It looked like he was trying to take me down, but I got the [penalty].”
Mendez buried the penalty kick into the top-left corner and gave the Red Hawks the 1-0 lead. Mendez said that he was confident when lining up for the attempt.
“I get a little bit nervous about penalty-kicks,” Mendez said. “But lately I’ve been putting them in, and I came into the mindset of knowing that we needed an early goal and right now, I’m on with penalty kicks.”
It is Mendez’s third goal this season for the Red Hawks, and is second in the highest goal scorer for the program.
Freshman forward Kevin Contreras gave Montclair State a 2-0 lead over the Gothic Knights in the forty-first minute, shooting a rocket from 35 yards away and into the upper right corner. This was Contreras’ goal of his collegiate career.
The second half saw five yellow cards between Montclair State and NJCU. Three cards were issued for the Red Hawks along with two for the Gothic Knights.
“NJCU is always a physical team, that’s just how they play,” Shelton said. “Their coach riles them up, but we try not to fall into that.”
The Gothic Knights had two of their best attempts on goal in the second half. The closest attempt came from a deep free kick just to the left of the penalty box in the seventy-fourth minute, but freshman goalkeeper Alexander Velasquez saved the free kick.
In the seventy-sixth minute, junior midfielder Reed Karsen attempted a shot, but the Gothic Knight goalkeeper made a great save.
In the closing moments, the Red Hawk defense tightened up and earned their sixth consecutive shutout to begin conference play.
“The NJAC is a different type of fight, everyone knows each other in this conference,” Mendez said. “We’re all from Jersey, and we all play with and against each other somewhat in our careers. It’s always going to be hectic, and it’s an intense conference.”
The Red Hawks won their sixth straight game, and their first in conference play. They look to continue this momentum, as they take on Kean University in their next matchup.
