Box Score
EWING, NJ – Midfielder John Loiodice scored the game-winner at 106:54 in the second overtime to give the third seed Rowan University a 2-1 victory over the second seed The College of New Jersey in the semifinals of the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Championship Tournament on Wednesday night.
In the second overtime, Profs’ midfielder Jason Choma (sr. Belford, NJ/Middletown N.) missed a headball that went wide right of the goal, but Loiodice (jr. Brick, NJ/Brick Mem.) kept it in play and kicked it passed the goalkeeper with 3:06 remaining.
Rowan (13-5-2) travels to the top seed Montclair State University (16-1-2) for the conference final on Saturday, November 7 at 7 p.m. In the other semifinal on Wednesday, Montclair State defeated the fourth seed Rutgers-Newark, 4-1. The NJAC champion receives an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament. TCNJ (7-6-4) has to wait until Monday, November 9 to see if it receives an at-large bid to the national tournament.
Profs’ back Randy Kohr (jr. Marmora, NJ/Ocean City) tied the game (1-1) at 47:01 in the second period. Rowan took a corner kick and Kohr headed the bounced ball into the net. Lions’ forward Andrew Lampitt (jr. Cherry Hill, NJ/Cherry Hill W.) redirected a cross into the Profs’ goal to give TCNJ a 1-0 lead at 1:40 in the first half. Forward Ray Nelan (so. Haddon Heights, NJ/Haddon Heights) picked up the assist.
Rowan took 16 shots, while TCNJ had 15. Goalkeeper Charlie Cunliffe (jr. Lakewood, NJ/Lakewood) made six saves for the Profs. Earlier on Wednesday, he was named the NJAC Goalkeeper of the Year. Lions’ goalkeeper Adam Friedman (fr. Chester, NJ/West Morris Mendham) stopped four shots.