MONTCLAIR, N.J. — The Montclair State University women’s soccer team is headed to the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) finals with a 2-1 victory over New Jersey City University (NJCU).
Montclair State controlled possession early, with five corner kicks through the first 24 minutes of the game. Despite this, the game remained scoreless until the twenty-sixth minute. Montclair State’s leader in goals, senior forward Kylie Prendergast, scored to make it 1-0, with an assist from freshman midfielder-defender Carly Guzzardo. She surpassed 100 career points with this goal, but her night was far from over.
Kylie Prendergast's brace gave her 14 goals on the season, just one day before she was named NJAC Offensive Player of the Year. Photo credit: Photo courtesy of Montclair State Athletics
After Prendergast’s score, Montclair State attempted just one more shot in the first half, a miss from junior midfielder Shannon Mullins in the thirty-third minute. Of the 10 total shots that the Red Hawks took, four were on goal.
Coming out of the half, NJCU pounced with an early corner kick and shots from freshman midfielder Somaia Roman and senior midfielder Gineth Arias Martinez within the first seven minutes. It was all for naught, though, as Kylie Prendergast struck again with a goal in the fifty-second minute, with assists from Carly Guzzardo and sophomore forward Samira Lukovic. Following the game, the head coach of Montclair State’s women’s soccer team, Patrick Naughter, spoke about Prendergast’s season and her overall career as a Red Hawk.
"They’re one of the best teams in the NJAC for a reason," said Montclair State head coach Patrick Naughter. "They weren’t gonna fold up shop, we knew they were coming for us.” Photo credit: Photo courtesy of Montclair State Athletics
“She’s been unbelievable. She had a stretch there in the middle of the year where the ball wasn’t going in, and she just kept working,” Naughter said. “She just kept doing her business, and she’s a great kid. She’s a hardworking kid, humble as can be. What she does for us is a lot more than numbers, but, you know, obviously, we got two goals, and she had both of them, so I’m not surprised.”
Despite what seemed like a comfortable 2-0 lead, there were still nearly 40 minutes left for NJCU to make it interesting and that’s exactly what they did. Nearly 10 minutes after Montclair State’s score, Gineth Arias Martinez had yet another shot on goal, but NJCU’s senior goalkeeper, Sophia Mannino, saved it.
However, following what would end up being the first of two yellow cards in the second half given towards NJCU, sophomore back Kyanah-Belle Jean-Louis scored just the fourth goal of her career against Montclair State to make it a one-goal game with just under 17 minutes left to play. While the home crowd at MSU Soccer Park may have been a bit shocked to be denied yet another clean sheet, coach Naughter knew that it would be a battle.
“I’m not shocked. NJCU’s in its third semifinal in three years. They’re a senior dominant group. They’re one of the best teams in the NJAC for a reason, [they’re] well-coached, and we knew [at] 2-0 [that] they weren’t gonna fold up shop, we knew they were coming for us.”
Despite NJCU’s attempt at a comeback, they were unable to record another shot in the remaining minutes of the game, a testament to Montclair State’s steadfast defense that has been key to their success all season.
Next up for the Red Hawks is the most important game that they will have played all year, the NJAC championship. They will take on Rowan University, whom they’ve faced once previously on Oct. 18 and tied with a final score of 2-2. When asked about the team’s mindset heading into such an intense match, Samira Lukovic summed up how the Red Hawks are feeling.
Montclair State is set for a rematch with Rowan University for the NJAC Championship on Nov. 7. The teams saw a 2-2 tie in their regular-season meeting on Oct. 18. Photo credit: Photo courtesy of Montclair State Athletics
“This is something that we’ve worked for so hard, so we’re obviously proud to get here, but we know we have so much more work to do,” Lukovic said. “So, it’s just a matter of keeping our heads calm and staying composed.”
The championship game will be held at MSU Soccer Park on Nov. 7 at 7 p.m. This marks back-to-back seasons in which the Red Hawks will reach the NJAC championship game, and if they win, it would be their first NJAC championship since the 2020–21 season.
