The New York University men's soccer team was defeated 3-2 by Rutgers University-Camden in the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Division III Championship semifinals on Saturday, November 18, at Lebanon Valley College in Annville, PA.
The game was stopped in the 71st minute due to severe weather and unplayable field conditions.
NYU finishes the 2017-18 season with a 9-8-3 record, while Rutgers-Camden advances to the finals with an 11-8-4 record. The Scarlet Raptors will play the defending champions, host Lebanon Valley, in Sunday's championship game.
The Violets never led in the contest, as three goals were scored during a 1:31 span midway through the first half. After Masitti Vincenzo gave Rutgers-Camden a 1-0 lead at the 19:44 mark,
Nic Notaro answered to tie the game at 20:45. The NYU senior dribbled through the Scarlet Raptor defense and scored into the lower-left portion of the goal.
The 1-1 tied did not last long, however, as Brad Maine put Rutgers-Camden back in front 30 seconds after Notaro's tally. Maine sent a cross into the box and it deflected off of a Violet defender and into the net.
Rutgers-Camden doubled its lead at 65:22 when Clayton Taylor put a shot past diving NYU goalkeeper
Grant Engel following a pass from Maine.
The Violets struck right back, however, as Notaro scored again less than four minutes later.
Jake Velvel sent a cross to Notaro who headed it in at 69:09.
"Nic was outstanding," said Head Coach
Kim Wyant. "He carried our team today."
Less than two minute later, at 70:24, the referees decided that the game could not continue, thwarting any chance for a Violet comeback.
"With the remaining time, I feel that if the game would have continued, we would have scored another goal," Wyant offered. "Our desire to compete and win was evident."
STAT CITY:
- NYU finished with an advantage in shots (13-8) and corner kicks (5-1).
- Engel finished with four saves.
- Nitaro took a team-leading seven shots, with five landing on goal.
The 2017 season is now concluded, with the Violets finishing with a second-consecutive winning season for the first time since the 2006 and 2007 campaigns.
