UNION, N.J. (10/3/15) - The Kean University men's soccer team and Rutgers-Camden squared off in a battle for first place in the NJAC on Saturday, and Sev Kherlopian sent the Cougar fans home happy with an overtime goal to give Kean the 3-2 win.
Click here to see highlights of tonight's win!
It was Kherlopian's sixth game-winner of the season, a total that leads every player in the NCAA this season. His final goal was set up by a long pass into the box by Robert Barrera, who earned the assist.
Camden came into the game recieving votes as the de facto No. 26 team in the country.
Those late fireworks were not predicted by the scoreless first half. The best scoring opportunity of the first 45 came late in the first period. A high shot by the Cougars eluded the Camden goalkeeper. Kean's ensuing attempt at the temporarily open net was soft enough to be run down and cleared by the Raptor defense.
Kean led shots 8-6 at the break, and there no corners taken by either side.
The Cougars got to go with the wind in the second half. The breeze was so strong on Saturday at times it forced players to re-set on free kicks because it blew the ball over.
Kherlopian also scored the first Cougar goal of the day. Mathias Patino set him up in front, and the sophomore's shot ricocheted off a Raptor defender and into the goal at 55:03.
13 minutes later, Patino (pictured left) set up another Cougar goal. This time his pass found Vaughn Cusano in on the right side. Cusano's initial shot was saved, but the rebound came right back to him and he put it in for the 2-0 lead.
Kean goalkeeper Chidi Iloka made a great save on a rocket by Connor Hurff with 27 minutes to go to help keep Camden off the scoreboard. Camden also earned a red card after a Raptor took down Kherlopian from behind on a breakaway, and the Raptors forced to play the rest of the match down a man.
Nevertheless, Camden's Mike Ryan took matters into his own hands to nearly single-handedly force overtime. He hit a laser from 25 yards out just under the crossbar to put Camden on the board with 14 minutes to go, and with less than five minutes remaining his free kick glanced off the Kean defensive wall and into the netting to tie the game at two. Kean had outshot Camden 16-6 in the second period, but both sides had scored twice.
In overtime, Kherloipan missed wide as the Kean crowd thought for sure they had it won at 92:24. But two minutes later, the sophomore connected on the header to lift his team to 11-1 on the season and 3-0 in the NJAC. Rutgers is now 8-2-1 and 3-1 in the league.
The Cougars will be back in action on Monday evening when they host Baruch College at 7:30 p.m.
