Box Score

MONTCLAIR, NJ – The Rowan University men’s soccer team upset Montclair State University, 2-1 in the semifinals of the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Championship Tournament on Friday evening.

The Profs are the fifth seed and they have a 12-7-2 record.  Montclair State, the top seed and ranked fifth in the nation, is 17-2 overall.  Rowan will play at the second seed Rutgers-Camden (15-2-2) for the conference title on Saturday, November 3 at 7 p.m.  The NJAC champion receives an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament.   

Rutgers-Camden advanced with a 3-1 semifinal win over the third seed Rutgers-Newark.  In the first round of the conference tournament (Oct. 27), Rowan defeated the fourth seed William Paterson University, 1-0.  Montclair State and Rutgers-Camden received a bye in the first round.

Rowan got on the scoreboard first when back Shane Dooley (sr. Burlington Twp., NJ/Burlington Twp.) scored at 10:20.  From the middle, he knocked in a pass from midfielder Ryan Gordon (sr. Cherry Hill, NJ/Cherry Hill W.).  The Profs’ second goal came at 31:55.  Midfielder Shane Kohler (so. Flemington, NJ/Hunterdon Central Reg.) hit the lower left side of the Red Hawks’ net on a feed from Gordon.  Midfielder Jesse Shea (so. Marlton, NJ/Cherokee) had the Red Hawks’ goal with 34 seconds left in the first half.  He scored with a back heel kick in front of the Profs’ net with a pass from the right wing by forward Brian Cullen (so. Clementon, NJ/Highland Reg.).

Montclair State compiled 31 shots while Rowan took seven.  Goalkeeper Michael Fanz-Huster (sr. Waterford, NJ/Hammonton) made seven saves for the Profs.  For the Red Hawks, goalie Kevin Lynch (so. Cinnaminson, NJ/Cinnaminson) stopped four shots.