The Ramapo College men’s soccer team had a big week, starting with a huge win over the City College of New York, followed by a tough 0-1 loss against Rutgers-Camden in their first New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) game of the season.
With the non-conference victory, the Roadrunners were able to bring up their record to 5-1-2, while CCNY dropped to 0-5-1. From the beginning, Ramapo asserted their dominance.
Sophomore defender Dino Radoncic got Ramapo on the board early in the first half with back-to-back goals. However, the scoring streak was just beginning. Freshman midfielder Gianfranco Ponce, having a standout season, kept the momentum going. He scored his fifth goal of the season in the 24th minute. Then just a little over a minute later, senior midfielder Jack Hosmer got in on the action, scoring his second goal of the season off a pass from junior midfielder Kyle Allen. To end the first half, junior forward Alim Lita pushed the lead to 6-0 by scoring two goals. One in the 31st and then another in the 45th minute.
In the second half, freshman midfielder Luca Cascio scored his first goal of the season, from an assist from sophomore Evan Arendt in the 53rd minute. Then freshman forward Axel Gonzalez and freshman midfielder Yair Candia each put a goal into the back of the net in the 68th and 78th minute, sealing the final score of 9-0.
Ramapo dominated from start to finish, outshooting CCNY 14-3. Defensively, senior goalkeeper Nikolai Matthews and freshman Matthew Touchard combined for a shutout, with Matthews making one save in the first half and Touchard adding two more in the second half.
Just a few days after the massive win, Ramapo hit a roadblock in their NJAC opener against Rutgers-Camden. They lost 1-0 despite controlling the field most of the match.
The only goal of the game came from Rutgers-Camden’s Jason Angel in the 50th minute, off a pass from Brandon Valeri, to give the Scarlet Raptors the lead. The Roadrunners could not find the back of the net, despite holding a 12-2 advantage in shots and also earning all six corner kicks. The Rutgers-Camden defense, along with goalie Sean Boen, were the difference makers, keeping Ramapo off the scoreboard. Boen tallied 12 saves including six in the second half.
Even though Ramapo came up short, they controlled possession and created plenty of chances on the offensive end. Overall, they played well against a tough conference opponent. However, the Roadrunners do not have much time to harp on the loss, as they will be playing on the road against William Paterson University on Oct. 2. With the 0-1 record in the conference, this game is crucial with Ramapo looking for their first NJAC win of the season.
Later on in the week, they will also be hosting Kean University on Oct. 5, at 1 p.m. on the Athletic Center Turf for another key matchup in their NJAC schedule. With back-to-back conference games ahead, the Roadrunners will need to stay focused and build on what they have learned throughout the season. If they can continue creating opportunities and showing determination, Ramapo has potential to bounce back and make a strong run in the NJAC.
lkelyman@ramapo.edu
Featured photo courtesy of @rcnjmenssoccer, Instagram
