Montclair, NJ - Rutgers-Newark's Jonah Dias scored with 1:11 remaining in the second overtime as the Scarlet Raiders upset No. 5 Montclair State, 3-2 at MSU Soccer Park on Wednesday evening.
Dias collected two goals as Rutgers-Newark (12-4-3, 5-1-2 NJAC) was able to clinch a first-round bye and the No. 2 seed in the NJAC Tournament with the win. The Scarlet Raiders will host a semifinal contest on Wednesday, November 3 against an opponent to be determined. Quarterfinal action begins on Saturday, October 30.
IAN CHESNEY and
RYAN CATALANO each had goals for the Red Hawks (16-2-1), who had their 12-match winning streak snapped, the second longest in program history. The loss was the first for MSU since a 2-1 setback in overtime against NYU on September 11.
Montclair, which clinched the regular-season title and No. 1 seed on last Saturday and will also host a semifinal match on November 3.
The Dias goal capped a wild 64-plus minutes of action as all five goals were scored after the two teams played to a scoreless first half.
Chesney put the Red Hawks on the board at 55:44 as he headed in a goal off a corner kick by
AMER LUKOVIC. That 1-0 lead would be short-lived as Dias scored the first of his two five minutes later. Joe Alba launched a long free kick down within seven yards on the right side where Dias popped a header over goalkeeper
ANDRES LEZME knotting the score at 1-1.
Franco Catania would give the Scarlet Raiders the lead in the 73
rd minute with his 18
th goal of the season however Montclair State answered 93 seconds later.
RYAN CATALANO sent a shot from the upper right-corner of the box inside the far right post just over a diving Andres Medina as the game was deadlocked at 2-2.
Montclair State would get a chance to go ahead in regulation, but Medina stopped Chesney's shot from the top of the box with 6:48 left.
In the first overtime, each team would get an opportunity to win it. Lezme came up with a save against Catania in the 95
th minute with Medina stopping
OWEN MURPHY with 50 seconds left in the first extra period.
Rutgers-Newark would win the contest with 71 seconds left in the second OT. The Scarlet Raiders kept the ball alive near the top of the box. Anthony Oliveira bounced a head that floated to the top of the box. Dias picked the ball out of the air and one-timed a shot inside the right post for the game winner.
Medina had three saves for Rutgers-Newark, which outshot Montclair State, 16-11. Lezme posted eight for the Red Hawks.