Montclair, NJ – Montclair State and Rutgers-Camden have played some thrilling contests over the past several years however Saturday evening's New Jersey Athletic Conference Championship Game may have the best of them all.

With a conference title and NCAA bid on the line the two teams staged an epic battle that not only needed more than regulation time, it needed extra rounds of penalty kicks. And when it was over Rutgers-Camden captured its fourth title in five years as the Scarlet Raptors claimed the crown with a 5-4 win in the shootout following a scoreless tie.

Rutgers-Camden earned the bid to the NCAA Tournament and will be among the field of 63 teams when the bracket is announced Monday, November 9 at 1:30 pm on NCAA.com. Montclair State, which was looking for its second consecutive NJAC title, is also expected to be in the field as well. The Red Hawks were ranked No. 1 in the South Atlantic Region entering the weekend.

MSU and Rutgers-Camden, which have combined to win nine of the last 10 championships, had numerous opportunities to win the game during the regulation and overtime periods however it was goaltenders James Brett and MIKE SAALFRANK that stole the show with spectacular saves throughout the contest. Each team also came up a little unlucky with many attempts going off posts and crossbars or a few inches wide or high.

It all came down to the shootout where Rutgers-Camden eventually prevailed.

Rutgers-Camden went first and Connor Hruff made his attempt before Brett came up with a save giving the Raptors a 1-0 lead. Each team made their next two attempts as Camden maintained their lead until Saalfrank stopped Mike Ryan in the fourth round. KYLE GOODWIN converted his attempt tying the shootout at 2-2.

In the fifth round, Aaron Muse drilled a kick that glanced off the left post giving Montclair State a chance to win. However, MIKE OLLA's attempt went over the crossbar extending the shootout to a sixth round. Riquan King and DAMIAN BZIUKIEWICZ each connected on their attempt setting up the seventh round. Feli Csombok made his attempt setting up the final kick which Brett made a diving save on to give Rutgers-Camden the championship.

The Red Hawks and Raptors combined for 45 shots in the game with MSU taking 28 however none of that mattered as Brett made 14 saves while Saalfrank stopped eight as they registered their sixth and fifth shutouts, respectively.

Brett made one early and Saalfrank three in the first 11 minutes. Brett came up with two more, including a stop of a MATT HENDRICKSON shot in the 38^th minute. The Raptors nearly got one in the closing seconds however Grant Taylor's rip from 25 yards out clanged off the left post.

Brett made five saves in the first 15 minutes of the second half and then scooped up and Olla shot at 68:54. Back the other way went the Raptors who were given a free kick just outside the box at 69:47. Shane Guyer ripped a shot that Saalfrank punched up. Ryan got a header on the rebound by that went high over the crossbar.

Saalfrank and Brett continued their amazing play into the final minutes of regulation. Bziukiewicz fired shot from the right side that hit the left post. The rebound came back to Bziukiewicz who had an open chance however that was smothered by Brett keeping the game scoreless.

Saalfrank and Brett each made a save in the first overtime and Montclair got an immediate chance in the second OT as Olla knocked a flat angle shot on the left side that got past Brett. But the ball rolled just outside the far post. Saalfrank made a save a minute later with Brett making his final top with 3:02 left.