Montclair State Surges Past Kean, 4-2
Montclair, N.J. (10/10/07) - Senior midfielder
Owen Nichols (Princeton, N.J.) scored twice and
assisted on another goal as Montclair State, ranked 10th
in the latest D3Kicks.com poll, defeated Kean University, 4-2,
in New Jersey Athletic Conference men's soccer action at MSU
Soccer Park on Wednesday afternoon.
Senior midfielder Konrad Kruczek
(Clifton,
N.J.) and senior defender
Martin Garrido
(Newark,
N.J.) each had goal for the
Cougars, who fell to 5-9 overall and 2-4 in the NJAC. Of the nine
losses by Kean this season, five have come against Top 25 teams,
including four in the Top 10.
Sophomore John Esposito (Hillside, N.J.) and
freshman Aytac Malta (Lake Hiawatha, N.J.) each
had goals as the Red Hawks improved to 13-1-1 overall and 5-1 in
the NJAC.
Scoreless through the first 10 minutes, Kean nearly got on the
scoreboard in the 13th minute, but an apparent goal was
waved off for an offside. Montclair State would then take a 1-0
lead just over three minutes later as Nichols collected the first
of his two tallies. Taking a loose ball on the right side, Nichols
unleashed a shot from just outside the top of the box that found
the back of the net on the far left post for his seventh of the
season.
MSU would maintain its one-goal lead until late in the first
half when Esposito was taken down in the box. The Red Hawks were
awarded a penalty kick and Nichols nailed the shot to give
Montclair State a 2-0 lead at halftime.
The Red Hawks had several opportunities to extend its advantage
early in the second half, but Kean goalkeeper Alfredo
Oquendo (North
Plainfield,
N.J.) made three saves to keep
the score at 2-0. The Cougars got on the board in the
70th minute as Jeff Fisher
(Lawrence,
N.J.) made a long throw from the
right side in to Garrido, who headed in the pass inside the near
post to bring Kean within 2-1.
Montclair extended their lead at the 78:08 mark when Esposito
knocked off a rebound on a shot by Tyler Masterson (Long
Valley, N.J.) for his fifth goal of the year giving
Montclair State a 3-1 lead. The lead would be widened 72
seconds later as off a corner kick, Nichols lofted a pass to the
far post where Malta was able to head in the ball putting MSU up
4-1 with 10:40 to go.
Kean would get a goal back with 8:35 to play as Kruczek scored
off an Anthony Tuesta
(Clifton,
N.J.) pass for what turned out to
be the final margin. It was Kruczek's fifth goal of the season.
Oquendo had seven saves as he played the final 45 minutes.
Kyle Crego (Ocean
City,
N.J.) stopped four shots in the
first half. Mele finished with seven saves for Montclair
State, which outshot the Cougars 25-13 in the match and held a 12-7
advantage in corner kicks.
Kean is back on the road as the Cougars head to The College of
New Jersey for a 3:00 pm matchup on Saturday, October
13th.
