EWING, N.J. - In a series in which the home team is undefeated in every game dating back to 2010, the same held true in the TCNJ men's soccer team's match against Rutgers-Camden Wednesday night, with the Lions using a pair of second-half scores to claim an ever-important, 2-0 NJAC victory.
 
Despite what the final score might suggest it was the Scarlet Raptors (6-6-2, 3-2 NJAC) earning a pair of corners in the opening five minutes to threaten early. It wasn't until the 30th minute, however, that the game's first shot found its way on target – a header from just outside the six – but Sean Najdzinowicz was there for the diving save to keep the game level.
 
TCNJ (7-3-4, 2-2-1 NJAC) generated a couple chances of their own in the final 15 minutes of the first half, but saw shots from Matt Will and Lucas Sample miss the target, sending the game into the break scoreless.
 
The Lions drew the first of nine second-half corners just over two minutes into the stanza and capitalized on the opportunity, scoring the game's opening goal off the head of Matt Maceri. Matt Will bent in the corner and found his classmate at the six-yard box, with the freshman's header slotting into the far corner to give TCNJ the 1-0 advantage and Maceri his first collegiate score.
 
Meder nearly doubled the Lions' lead eight minutes later with a ball that was poised for the top corner, but saw his effort parried away by Rutgers-Camden's Aleksander Nycz. The junior found himself with another opportunity just two minutes later, however, and would not be denied a second time.
 
The second chance in a two-minute span for Meder began with a counter in which Matias Hornos carried the ball across midfield into Scarlet Raptors territory. Surrounded by defenders, the junior sent a perfectly weighted through ball into the box toward Meder, who took a touch inside to beat his defender before firing a shot that found the side net to double TCNJ's lead.
 
Najdzinowicz was forced to make a pair of saves in the final 30 minutes but none that proved too much trouble en route to the freshman's second consecutive shutout, with the final buzzer clinching the 2-0 win for TCNJ.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Rutgers-Camden held a 16-12 advantage in shots, but the Lions finished with five shots on goal to the Scarlet Raptors' three.
• Both teams took nine corners in the game.

NOTES

• Maceri's goal was the first of his collegiate career. He is the 13th different TCNJ player to find the back of the net this season.
• Will's assist pushes his total to three on the season. The freshman has been particularly effective in NJAC play thus far, totaling one goal and two assists.
• Meder's score was his team-leading seventh of the season and first in conference play.
• Najdzinowicz bagged his second consecutive and third overall shutout in the win, making three saves.
• The Lions have not lost at home against Rutgers-Camden since 2003

UP NEXT

• The Lions are back on the road Saturday, Oct. 18 to take on Rutgers-Newark, with kickoff scheduled for 7 p.m.