Box score

Ewing, NJ … The College of New Jersey men's soccer team dropped a 3-2 decision to Rutgers University-Newark in New Jersey Athletic Conference play on Saturday night.
 
A pair of Scarlet Raider (7-4, 2-3 NJAC) goals off restarts in a span 1:19 in the second half turned out to be the difference in the contest.
 
The Lions (4-5-2, 0-3-2 NJAC) received goals from senior Ed Kozic (Raritan, NJ/Immaculata) and freshman Kevin McCartney (Old Bridge, NJ/St. Joseph's), but it was not enough as Rutgers-Newark notched its seventh win of the season.
 
The teams traded scores in the opening half. RUN's Patryck Dawidczyk gave the host a lead just under 19 minutes into the game with a long goal from 35 yards out. Kozic responded less than a minute later to knot the score, collecting a loose ball and notching his third tally of the season.
 
The Scarlet Raiders were awarded a penalty kick in the 74^th minute of play. After Richie Villamar converted, Nick Kypriano scored in the 76^th minute off a direct kick to extend the lead to 3-1.
 
McCartney netted his second goal of the season at the 80:12 mark of the game, striking a ball that clipped the crossbar and right post before settling into the left corner of the goal. Despite intense pressure, TCNJ could not manage the equalizer. They forced Rutgers-Newark goalkeeper Jonathan Frances to make three of his six saves during the final nine minutes of the game, but he was able to stop shots from Kozic, Ryan O'Donnell (Toms River, NJ/Toms River South) and Chris Pisano (Metuchen, NJ/Metuchen).
 
The Lions held a 24-14 advantage in shots and 6-1 edge in corner kicks. It was the fifth, one-goal loss for TCNJ this season.
 
The Lions travel to Muhlenberg College on Wednesday, October 5 for a non-conference match-up. Their next NJAC contest is October 12 against William Paterson at TCNJ's Soccer Complex at 4 p.m.