The College of New Jersey Athletics

EWING, N.J. - The seventh-ranked TCNJ women's soccer team closed out its regular-season home slate with a match against Rutgers-Camden Wednesday evening, scoring twice in the second half to turn a 1-1 game at the break into a 3-1 victory over the Scarlet Raptors.
 
Despite what the final score and stat sheet might suggest, it was Rutgers-Camden (8-3-3, 4-3 NJAC) swinging first in Wednesday's match, firing off the game's first three shots – two of which forced an Ellen Williams save. TCNJ (11-1-2, 6-1 NJAC) settled into its offense following Williams' second denial, and would control play before opening the scoring at the 26:31 mark.
 
A long ball from Elaina Williams took a lucky deflection off a Scarlet Raptors defender, setting up Lexi Caruso with just the goalie to beat. The junior carried the ball inside the box, drawing Giselle Lizardi out of her net before laying the ball off to Maggie Murphy, who coolly sent it into the back of the net to give the Lions the 1-0 lead.
 
TCNJ looked as though it would carry its one-goal lead into the break, but a great piece of play between Camden's Cadence Serrano and Ava Stowell set up top-scorer Brianne Reeves to rifle home an equalizer with just 17 seconds on the clock, leveling things just before halftime.
 
After Serrano registered the first shot on frame out of the break, it was all Lions down the stretch in yet another dominant second half that extended TCNJ's win streak to six.
 
The winner came off the foot of Alyssa Alfano in the 56th minute.
 
The senior initially sent in a corner that was parried toward Caroline Freer, who saw her shot saved at the goal line and sent out of bounds by Reeves. Freer was quick to reset play, however, throwing the ball into Charles who took a touch before sending a curling ball toward a relocated Alfano at the back post, who beat her defender inside and tucked the ball into the far corner to put TCNJ back in front.
 
The dagger came courtesy of Jenny Ward 15 minutes later.
 
It was Charles getting things started once again on the Lions' third goal, sending a long ball 30 yards downfield that was misplayed by a Scarlet Raptors defender. Emily Weidner was first to the loose ball, flicking it onto Ward who used her speed to break free before finding the far corner to all but put the game out of reach.
 
The game would face a small delay when local celebrity Sherman the Fox made not one but two appearances on the pitch, before the final whistle sounded to clinch the 3-1 victory for TCNJ.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• The Lions outshot Camden 21-10, including a 10-6 edge in shots on goal.
• TCNJ took 11 corners to the Scarlet Raptors' one.
• Ward (7) and Weidner (3) led all players in shots and shots on goal, respectively.
• Williams made five saves on the evening, her most since October 7.

NOTES

• Ward's goal was her team- and conference-best 11th of the season, and extends her streak of games with a goal and/or an assist to eight.
• Murphy scored her ninth goal of the season while Alfano's was her fifth.
• Weidner now has three assists in her last four games, and five on the season.
• Freer's helper was her third on the campaign, setting a new single-season career high.
• Tonight's win guarantees the Lions are a top-4 seed in the upcoming NJAC Tournament, meaning they will host at least one game in the postseason.
• TCNJ finished the regular season 7-0-1 at home, marking the first time since 2024 in which the Lions went unbeaten on their home turf entering the postseason.

UP NEXT

• The Lions are on the road to take on Ramapo Saturday, October 24 in their first of two straight away from home to end the regular season. Kickoff is scheduled for 11 a.m.