Upper Montclair, NJ (11/02/02) - The Montclair State University men's soccer team completed its 2002 regular season with a 2-1 overtime loss today to defending NCAA Division III national champion Richard Stockton College on Senior Day at MSU Soccer Park at Pittser Field. Montclair State is now 10-6-2 overall, and finished 3-5-1 in New Jersey Athletic Conference play. Stockton, which won its ninth straight game dating back to Sept. 28, is 15-4 overall and finished 8-1 in conference play.

Stockton senior back MIKE McALARNEN (Upper Township, NJ/Ocean City) headed home a pass from sophomore midfielder TOM FERRON (Ringwood, NJ/Don Bosco Prep) just 4:10 into overtime to lift the visiting Ospreys to the victory. RSC outshot MSU, 31-5, on the day, including 4-0 in the extra session.

Stockton took a 1-0 lead just 3:40 into the game when junior forward JAMIE NELSON (Toms River, NJ/TR North) headed in a volley from McAlarnen at the left post. The host Red Hawks responded just 4:19 later when sophomore midfielder MATT CASWELL (Piscataway, NJ/Piscataway) passed from the right side to classmate ADRIAN BOSALASCO (Kearny, NJ/Kearny), who chipped the ball up and inside the left post to tie the game. MSU freshman forward JESSEN VAN SYCKLE (Blairstown, NJ/North Warren) started the scoring play with a throw-in to Caswell from near midfield along the right sideline.

MSU sophomore goalkeeper CHRIS OWEN (Pompton Lakes, NJ/Pompton Lakesl) finished with seven saves on the day, while his teammates came up with five defensive saves of their own. Senior back SEAN PASIEKA (Kinnelon, NJ/Kinnelon) stopped two Stockton shots point-blank late in the first half. RSC freshman netminder SEAN DALLAS (Cherry Hill, NJ/CH East) finished with one save on the afternoon.

Making their last regular-season home appearance today for the Red Hawks were seniors Pasieka, MARK SA (Newark, NJ/Hudson Catholic ), ATIBA YUSUF(East Orange, NJ/East Orange), FRANK LEPORE (West Paterson, NJ/Passaic Valley), ANDREW ANGORANO (Brick, NJ/Brick Memorial) and YURI ALLEGRIA (Somerset, NJ/Franklin). As a group they led MSU to 49 total victories from 1998 to 2002.

The Red Hawks are still hopeful of gaining a bid to the ECAC Division III Metro Tournament later this month. MSU advanced to the ECAC final against RSC two years ago, falling by a 1-0 OT score in Pomona, NJ.