Galloway, N.J. – Stockton University (2-2, 0-2 NJAC) played a solid first half against 14th-ranked The College of New Jersey (4-2, 2-0 NJAC) but was unable to keep pace in the second half and fell 16-7. The game was the home opener for the Ospreys after starting the season with three straight on the road.
 
Casey Shultz (Sewell/Washington Twp.) led Stockton with three goals and an assist. Jennifer Toal (Pine Beach/Toms River South) scored two goals for the Ospreys.
 
Bolstered by strong goalkeeping from Stevie Ader (Califon/Voorhees) early in the game, Stockton was tied with TCNJ 2-2 after goals by Toal and Michelle Pascrell (Howell/Freehold Twp.) 51 seconds apart.
 
The Lions pulled ahead 6-2 with four straight markers but the Ospreys rallied with two counters in a row by Shultz to pull within 6-4 at the break. Stockton was outshot 21-7 in the first half but Ader kept the Ospreys close with 11 saves in the period.
 
The game slipped away from Stockton in the second half as TCNJ flexed its offensive muscle. The Lions potted eight consecutive goals in the first 11 minutes to make it a 14-4 game. Shultz, Toal and Holly Yannacone (Manahawkin/Southern Regional) netted one goal apiece to offset two more counters by TCNJ for the 16-7 final score.
 
Ader finished with 13 saves, her highest total since 2018, in 45:30 before Jordan Hawkes (Egg Harbor Twp./EHT) added four stops in the last 14:30.
 
Erin Jaffe paced TCNJ with a game-high six goals followed by Jillian Westerby with four goals and an assist. Ann Wright contributed three goals and Alexa Natalicchio made four saves to earn the goalie win for the Lions.
 
Stockton will face another ranked opponent on Saturday when the Ospreys visit #23 Montclair State for an NJAC game that begins at 3:30 p.m.