The Ramapo College men’s soccer team dropped to 8-7-1 (4-4 in the New Jersey Athletic Conference) following their 3-1 loss to Rutgers-Camden on Saturday.
It was a tough loss to swallow for the Roadrunners, who had come into the game having won three straight. After struggling to find offensive rhythm in the first half, Ramapo went into halftime trailing the Scarlet Raptors 1-0 thanks to a goal off of a corner kick headed in by junior defender Bobby Foster in the 29th minute.
Ramapo, who was outshot 13-1 in the opening 45 minutes, upped the tempo towards the end of the half and nearly tied it up after the ball found the back of the net before the referee signaled a Roadrunner offside.
“I thought we were on our heels in the beginning of the game,” head coach D.J. Pinton said. “Guys came off the bench and did a very good job of settling the game down.”
Rutgers-Camden struck again early on in the second on a low, powerful shot fired in by freshman forward Mike Ryan in the 50th minute. It seemed as though the Scarlet Raptors were in full control of the game at that point, but Ramapo would not go down easily in what was a scrappy day on their home field.
After being frustrated throughout the game, senior captain Rob Santaniello drew contact in the box and was awarded a penalty kick in the 69th minute. He connected to pull Ramapo within striking distance. Just minutes later though, Ryan notched his second goal of the day to make it 3-1, putting the game out of reach for the home team on Senior Day.
Although disappointed by the result, Pinton reiterated that he was impressed with the perseverance his team displayed.
“We’ve done it a few times this year, they don’t quit on it,” Pinton said. “It’s a good thing, because once we hopefully get into the NJAC tournament it’s something we’re familiar with.”
Santaniello scored in front of the Ramapo faithful for the last time as he finishes up his impressive career with the Roadrunners.
“It feels good, you know,” Santaniello said after the game. “It’s bittersweet. It went fast.”
The Roadrunners lost against Montclair State University in their final game of the season Wednesday night, and they lost the opportunity to place in the NJAC tournament after Rowan University and William Paterson won their final games.
At halftime, Santaniello and other seniors were honored for their contributions to the team over the course of their college careers. Goalkeeper Kevin Lo Bue, defender Andrew Wilcox, midfielders Dan Walsh, Brett Tracey and Joey Kane, and forwards Kevin Carbone and Jaivon Palmer were all recognized for their achievements.
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bsanche4@ramapo.edu
