Galloway, N.J. – Stockton University (0-1) played its first game since November 2019 but fell to two-time defending NJAC champion Montclair State (1-0) by a 1-0 count on a late goal with just 5:08 remaining. Stockton goalkeeper
Dino Gromitsaris (Bordentown/Bordentown) made six saves on the night.
The teams played an uneventful first half in which Montclair State had the better of the possession but was foiled in its attempts to generate scoring chances by a revamped Stockton defense anchored by 2019 NJAC Second Team selection
James McCombs (Brick/Brick Memorial).
McCombs and fellow veteran
Max Bond (Cherry Hill/CH West) were joined by a pair of rookie starters in
Connor Smith (Hazlet/Raritan) and
Owen Kitch (Medford/St. Augustine Prep) in their college debuts plus
Sean O'Leary (Bordentown/Bordentown) in his first career start.
The Red Hawks outshot Stockton 5-1, with Gromitsaris stopping the lone shot on goal by either team in the half.
Stockton made an offensive push in the early stages of the second half as the game began to open up.
Ian Byrne (Lanoka Harbor/Lacey Twp.) was denied twice on diving saves by Montclair keeper Shane Keenan in the first 12 minutes.
Ervin Gjeli (Hasbrouck Hts./Hasbrouck Hts.) also narrowly missed on a shot to the far post that was just wide. Gromitsaris made a pair of key saves to keep the game scoreless until the final minutes, one a diving stop and another a kick save on a Red Hawks' try from in close.
With just over five minutes remaining, Brent Llewellyn flicked the ball back across the front of the goal to Janbi Kaghado for a tap-in at the right post. Stockton was unable to register a shot in the last 5:08 and fell to the Red Hawks 1-0.
Keenan earned the shutout with two saves in the game.
Stockton will play its next two matches on the road, starting with a trip to Mahwah to play Ramapo at 1 p.m. on Saturday.
