MAHWAH, N.J. (10/5/13) – Junior Sam Marchetti scored Kean University's first two goals and then assisted the game-winner as she led the Cougars to a 3-2 victory over NJAC rival Ramapo College on Saturday afternoon.
Early on in the scoreless game, Marchetti found herself alone in the Roadrunner zone. The junior got off a shot past the RC goalkeeper in the 13th minute for the game's opening strike, her fourth of the year.
Only 90 seconds later, Shannon Pedersen fed Marchetti a great pass that allowed Marchetti to get another shot off that found the twine and doubled the Kean lead to 2-0.
The halftime score was 2-0, despite the Cougars trailing 8-4 in shots and 2-1 in corners at the break.
Kean held on to the shutout until the 61st minute, where Autumn Herring took a cross from the right side off the foot of Katie Popwych and sent it into the cage for the first Ramapo goal.
The Cougars answered right back to push the lead back to two at 62:44; This time, Marchetti set up Angie Lopez (pictured left) for a goal – her eighth of the season – to help squash any momentum the hosts may have gained from their score.
The team of Herring and Popowych hooked up again in the 81st for a second Ramapo goal, but Kean and goalkeeper KC Nunez were able to hold off the Roadrunners in the last few desperate minutes for the critical conference victory. Nunez made six saves to earn the win.
Kean is now 7-3-1 and 4-1 in the NJAC, while Ramapo falls to 4-7 (1-2).
The Cougars will travel to take on City College of New York at 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday.
