Sample says TCNJ expecting better results in NJAC play
It was only one win for The College of New Jersey men’s soccer team, but it established a much better tone for conference play than TCNJ set for itself last year.
The Lions took a 2-0 win over William Paterson in their New Jersey Athletic Conference opener Saturday, which already put them five games ahead of last year’s pace.
“Winning the NJAC opener is huge for us,” said sophomore midfielder Nick Sample, who picked up an assist in the win. “Last season we lost our first four NJAC games, which really made it difficult to finish where we wanted to. The team is confident that we can keep this momentum going and be an even stronger force in the NJAC this season.”
The Lions tried to make a late run in 2015 but failed to make the playoffs, finishing 4-5 in conference play. Coming off a 1-1 tie with Drew Wednesday, they are 4-3-1 this year and host New Jersey City Saturday in an NJAC match.
Sample felt the results could have been better and thinks they will be as the season moves on.
“We have completed about a third of our season and were a bit disappointed with some of our non-conference games,” he said. “We have been competitive in every game and have always given the opposition a tough time.”
The Lions have found a strong scorer off the bench in freshman Mateo Panizza, who has started just one game but has four goals and two assists. Senior Nick Costelloe is a proven finisher and has three goals, while four other players have two, including Allentown grad Matt Skinner.
The Lions are unbeaten (2-0-1) since sophomore Dan Walsh has taken over in goal. Walsh has allowed just two goals and has a 2-1-1 record and 0.60 goalsagainst average in four games.
“Our team has great potential for this season,” Sample said. “We have a talented group of players and have a very good team chemistry. One of our strengths is that we have a very balanced team. Our team is solid defensively, and on the attack we always feel we can be dangerous and create scoring opportunities.”
Helping to facilitate has been Sample, a New Egypt High product who has four assists this season after collecting four goals and four assists and earning AllNJAC Honorable Mention honors as a freshman.
“This year I have been playing in the left midfield position,” he said. “My role remains the same, but I have set greater expectations for myself and for the team now that I have had a year of NJAC experience.
“Personally, I see myself as a playmaker, but the main objective is to win games. If I can create goals, whether I am scoring or assisting, then I will feel I am making a contribution to the team.”
Coming out of New Egypt, Sample was sought after by colleges of all levels but opted for TCNJ “because it offered a strong academic and athletic combination for me. The outstanding business program and the quality of the TCNJ soccer program was what really attracted me to this school.”
PU HAS DRAGONS DRAGGIN’
When it comes to domination, look no further than Princeton vs. Drexel.
The Tigers took a 2-0 victory in Philadelphia Tuesday night for their sixth consecutive victory over the Dragons. Princeton has won the last six meetings between the two by shutout, and owns a scoreless string of 568 minutes, 8 seconds going back to 2002.
The victory, in which Josh Haberman needed just three saves for his third career shutout, was the Tigers third straight after an 0-2 start. Drexel had just six shots and the defenders also helped up front as Mark Romanowski assisted on a Henry Martin’s goal to give PU a 1-0 lead. Nicholas Badalamenti became the sixth Tiger to score this year when he added an insurance goal.
One day prior to the victory, freshman Benjamin Martin had a banner day when learning he had been named Ivy League Player of the Week and Ivy coRookie of the Week. The Irvine, Cal., product scored a goal in a 3-1 win over No. 22 Rider, and followed with an assist and the game-winning goal in a 2-1 victory at Boston University on ESPNU. He leads the Tigers with five points and has two goals on his three shots.
A member of Cal South in the Tier 1 Southern California Developmental Soccer League, Martin was a two-time captain for Mater Dei High School and a Southern California High Schools All-Star Team and Division 1 All-Star Team selection as a senior.
Princeton returns home with a Friday night game against FDU, which is 2-5 and has lost four of its last five.
LOOKING TO REBOUND
After a 4-0 start that led to a No. 22 ranking in the NSCAA rankings, Rider has dropped two straight to Princeton at LIU. The Broncs were without AllRegion junior forward Jose Aguinaga, prompting coach Charlie Inverso to note, “We are a different team when we don’t have Jose. There are a lot of things he does for us.”
Nonetheless, Inverso is not fretting over the losses or slip from the polls, realizing it’s a long season.
“The rankings and the 4-0 start really don’t matter,” he said. “We have a good team and I want to see how good we are two months from now.”
Despite the losing streak, the Broncs still got one vote “also receiving votes” this week.
Rider opens MAAC play Saturday when it travels to Buffalo to face Canisius.
STRONG REGION START
Coming off two straight losses to quality opponents, Mercer got off to a strong start in Region 19 with a 3-0 win over Lackawanna and a 3-2 victory over Essex. Jared Rogers had three goals in the two games, giving him a team-high six for the season.
STILL SEARCHING
Dan Donigan’s nightmare continued with a 3-1 loss to Ohio State Sunday, but the Rutgers coach is still dreaming of better things to come.
“Right now we need to look at how we keep up with our consistency,” said Donigan, whose team dropped to 0-6 and 0-3 in the Big Ten. “We feel that on any given day, even with one of toughest schedules in the nation, we have the ability to compete with these teams. All our energy and focus is now onto (No. 3) Indiana and getting that win on Friday.”
The injuries that have beset the Knights have gotten no better, as Donigan reported on Wednesday that he has not gotten anyone back yet, nor will they be available for this weekend.