Wayne, NJ – Stockton University (11-3-3) kicked off a three-game homestand with a 7-0 rout over St. Joseph's-Long Island (6-6-1) in a non-conference game at G. Larry James Stadium. Freshman
Ervin Gjeli (Hasbrouck Hts./Hasbrouck Hts.) led the Ospreys with two goals.
Nick Cristea (Medford/Shawnee) contributed a goal and two assists. Sophomore
Luke Morgan (Medford/Shawnee) scored his first career goal and junior college transfer
Alex Cella (Matawan/Matawan) netted his first goal in a Stockton uniform.
Morgan opened the scoring 15:12 into the game with a blast from the top of the box for his first college tally. Just 5:44 later,
Justin Ruiz (Wayne/Wayne Hills) took a pass from Cristea, broke in off the left wing and scored Stockton's second goal.
Gjeli potted his first marker with 10:13 left in the first half. The rookie received a feed from Cristea and buried a shot from the middle of the box to extend the lead to 3-0. Cella capped the first-half scoring 2:16 before halftime with an unassisted tally after a steal.
Cristea scored his team-leading seventh goal of the season at 66:43, snagging a loose ball and hitting the net from a sharp angle near the right post.
Bobby Riordan (Tinton Falls/Monmouth) made it 6-0 at 79:07 as he dribbled into the box and fired a shot home from 15 yards away.
Gjeli capped the 7-0 triumph with his second goal of the night, which came as he dribbled down the left wing, beat a defender and scored at the 85-minute mark.
Starting goalkeeper
Kellen Groover (Florence/Life Center) made two saves in the first half for the win.
Michael Lescano (Union/St. Benedict's Prep) entered at the start of the second half and made two stops in 30:35.
Travis Yates (Washington Twp./Washington Twp.) registered one save in the last 14:25 to complete the combined shutout.
The Ospreys outshot St. Joseph's 32-6 on the night. Steven Deng made six saves in 79:08 and Lewis Meitz added three stops in the remaining 10:52 for the Golden Eagles.
Stockton will host New Jersey City in an NJAC game on Saturday at 1 pm.
