Newark, NJ – Senior forward
Jessica Kiniery (Branchburg, NJ, Somerville) posted her first career hat trick as unbeaten Montclair State extended the best start in program history with a 6-0 New Jersey Athletic Conference win over Rutgers-Newark on Alumni Field.
The Red Hawks (10-0-0, NJAC 3-0-0), ranked 10th by the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) and sixth by D3Soccer.com, posted their ninth shutout in 10 matches. Montclair State has yielded only a penalty kick goal while allowing just 53 total shots.
Rutgers-Newark (3-6-1, NJAC 0-3-0) stayed close until the second half, trailing just 2-0 entering the 57th minute, but the Red Hawks' 29-3 advantage in shots took its toll as the MSU netted three goals in the final 10 minutes to turn it into a blowout.
Junior goalkeeper
Gina Policastro (East Brunswick, NJ, East Brunswick) was handed her sixth shutout of the season by a Red Hawk defensive while yielded just three shots – none of which were on goal.
Junior forward
Francesca Gibson (Cape May, NJ, Lower Cape May Regional) tallied the game winner just 3:22 into the match by putting away a cross from deep on the left side from junior midfielder Melanie Greco. Kiniery made it 2-0 at the break by splitting two defenders and firing a shot inside the right post in the 20th minute.
In the second half junior forward
Kerry Glynn (Old Bridge, NJ, Old Bridge) dribbled between two defenders on a long run through the middle and put a shot over Raider sophomore goalkeeper Diana Aviles in the 58th minute. Kiniery followed with back-to-back breakaway goals just 1:26 minutes apart to make it 5-0 in the 83rd minute. Gibson put away a cross from the middle by sophomore midfielder
Shawna Grabowski (Woodbridge, NJ, Woodbridge) in the 84th minute to cap the late MSU outburst.
Aviles made six saves for the Raiders who lost for the fifth straight time.
Montclair State host Rutgers-Camden at 6 p.m. on Saturday in their annual charity game. All proceeds from the contest will be donated to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network.
