NEWARK, N.J. - The TCNJ men's soccer team was on the road to take on Rutgers-Newark Saturday night, jumping in front early and never looking back en route to a 3-0 win over the Scarlet Raiders – the Lions' first road victory in the series since 2009.
 
After an up-and-down start to the match in which TCNJ (8-3-4, 3-2-1 NJAC) drew a pair of corners while Rutgers-Newark (7-7-2, 1-4-1 NJAC) attempted the game's first shot, it was the Lions using a quick counter at the 16:49 mark to open the scoring.
 
Lawrence Mancino controlled the ball in his own half before sending a long pass to a streaking Chris Meder. The junior took a touch into the box and sent a shot on frame that was denied by the Scarlet Raiders' Pedro Flores, but there for the immediate rebound was Matt Will who one-timed the bouncing ball into the back of the net to give the Lions a 1-0 advantage.
 
That same duo was the catalyst for TCNJ's second goal just six minutes later.
 
This time it was Will finding Meder down the far sideline, with the two going back and forth before Meder beat his defender one-on-one and whipped in a cross that found the lone Lion in the area in Matias Hornos, whose header went bar down to double TCNJ's advantage 23 minutes into the contest.
 
The Scarlet Raiders appeared to build momentum toward the end of the opening half, but a pair of saves from Sean Najdzinowicz in the final 22 minutes kept them off the board and gave the Lions a 2-0 lead entering the break. And for as quickly Rutgers-Newark had reestablished itself in hopes of cutting into the lead, it took just eight seconds in the second half for the game to be all but put out of reach.
 
The hosts took the kickoff to start the second stanza, with a pass back into their defensive zone allowing Meder to apply quick pressure. The junior got his foot on the Scarlet Raiders' first pass, forcing it further back to Flores before intercepting the keeper's clear attempt and sending a shot into the wide open net to steal any momentum the hosts had built and instead make it a 3-0 game.
 
TCNJ handled the ensuing pressure well, only allowing two shots on frame in the entire second half – both of which were collected by Najdzinowicz – en route to their third consecutive shutout win.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Rutgers-Newark outshot the Lions 21-9 in the contest, but it was TCNJ that held a 6-5 advantage in shots on goal.
• Both teams took four corners, with all four of the Scarlet Raiders' coming in the second half.

NOTES

• Meder's goal and two assists push the junior's season-long totals to eight and seven respectively, the latter of which ranks second in the NJAC.
• Will's score was his sixth of the year and third in the Lions' last five games.
• Nadjzinowicz made five saves in the win, securing his third straight shutout.
  • The shutout is TCNJ's first against Rutgers-Newark since 2010, with the three-goal margin of victory serving as the program's largest in the series since 2006.

UP NEXT

• The Lions continue their road trip with a match against New Jersey City Wednesday, Oct. 22. Kickoff is scheduled for 3 p.m.