Montclair, NJ – Junior forward
JOSE HUERTA swung the pendulum in Montclair State's favor for the final time with 18:30 remaining lifting the Red Hawks, ranked 13
th in Division III, to a 4-3 victory over The College of New Jersey and the NJAC regular-season title on Saturday evening at MSU Soccer Park.
Huerta's goal, his second of the contest, was the final score in a back-and-forth game as the Red Hawks (14-1-2, 7-0-1) also claimed the top seed in the NJAC Tournament which begins on Saturday, October 27. MSU, which extended its unbeaten streak to 12, will have a first-round bye and will host a semifinal game on Tuesday, October 30.
Ryan Vazquez scored twice for TCNJ (9-6-2, 2-4-2 NJAC).
RAFAEL TERCI gave the Red Hawks a 1-0 lead at the 12:02 converting a penalty kick for his eighth goal of the season. The Lions responded a little more than two minutes later on a goal by Nick Sample knotting the game at 1-1.
MSU moved back in front with 4:30 left in the first half as Nixon Solgo set up
CHAZ BURNETT for the latter's 10
th of the year. Again the Lions countered quickly deadlocking the game at 2-2 on the first of Vazquez's two score 1:12 to play before halftime.
Huerta and Burnett combined on a goal in the 64
th minute giving the Red Hawks' 3-2 lead but that didn't last long as Vazquez forged a third tie at 3-3 with his second of the game and 14
th of the season with 19:07 remaining.
It took the Red Hawks 37 seconds to go back on top for the final time. Montclair sent a long ball from the opposite side of the field down toward the 18. A TCNJ defender fell down while trying to knock the ball away with Huerta jumping on the loose ball. He made a move toward the goal and with a defender draped on him, flicked a shot inside the left post for the 4-3 lead.
The Lions got once chance to tie in the 79
th minute however MSU keeper
MIKE SAALFRANK stopped an attempt by Dante Bettino.
Saalfrank finished with two saves as he collected his 56
th career victory, tying him with Nick Mele (2005-08) for the No. 1 on the all-time list for goalkeeping victories.
Montclair State will wrap up its regular-season on Wednesday, October 24 with a road conference contest at Kean University with kickoff set for 7:30 pm.
