Montclair, NJ – The No. 5 Montclair State University men's soccer team took Christopher Newport University 3-1 in the Second Round of the NCAA Division III Men's Soccer Tournament on Sunday night.
 
The Red Hawks (19-2-1) move to 28-22-1 in the NCAA Tournament, marking the ninth time the team will advance to the NCAA Sectional Round.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Captains had most of the possession in the first half but didn't break through for a shot until the 12th minute. SHANE KEENAN was there to make the stop before making an additional save in the 23rd minute.
• Montclair struggled in the opening 45 minutes for shots, getting outshot 7-2 and failed to register a shot on target.
• After being bottled up during the first half, it took the Red Hawks 42 seconds to break through for the opening marker in the second stanza. ANDRE SHELTON tracked down a ball in the corner, and REED KARSEN flicked a header towards the goal. The keeper got a fingertip on it and bobbled the ball before AMER LUKOVIC rifled the rebound into the goal.
• Staked to the lead, Lukovic nearly doubled the advantage a minute later, as his laser was tipped by the goalie, went off the crossbar, and then trickled out of bounds. Keenan was pressed into a crucial save in the 51st minute after a dangerous foul outside the box. The 5th-year made the stop without a rebound.
• The Captains equalized in the 75th minute, as Barry Jones crossed a ball in that Mason Field knocked in past a diving Keenan. Keenan preserved the 1-1 deadlock in the 77th minute, parrying a shot over the crossbar.
• The score remained tied at one through the first overtime, but Montclair snapped the deadlock 1:03 into the second extra period. OSBIN MENDEZ served in a long ball from just inside the midfield line off a free kick, and Lukovic got a head on it to make it 2-1.
• The Red Hawk defense clamped down, surrendering two shots and not allowing much after two corner kicks in the 105th minute. With just over a minute remaining, Lukovic completed his hat trick as he dribbled three-quarters of the field and slid a low shot past the keeper.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• Lukovic ran his NCAA goal-leading total to 33 in his second hat-trick of the season.
• Mendez tallied his eighth assist of the season, taking over sole possession of the team lead.
• Keenan made six saves, matching his season-high set against Rowan on October 7.

FROM THE FIELD
"CNU is a quality team. They are very talented and have an endless work rate. I am proud of our guys. They have grown a lot over the last few years. It is exciting to watch them keep fighting in the NCAA Tournament." Head Coach Todd Tumelty. 
 
UP NEXT
The Red Hawks will face No. 7 Connecticut College on Saturday at 1:30 on the campus of the University of Mary Washington.