Box Score
Ewing, NJ... Senior Gabby Cafone (Fairfield, NJ/West Essex) scored with 33 seconds left in regulation to lift The College of New Jersey field hockey team to a 4-3 win over visiting Kean University on Tuesday.
Cafone’s netted the game-winning goal when she scored unassisted breaking a 3-3 deadlock. The goal was her sixth of the season.
With the win, TCNJ continued its dominance against Kean as the won the 56th straight meeting between the two programs. The two schools started playing back in 1973 with the Lions winning all 56 contests.
The win lifted the Lions to 4-1 in New Jersey Athletic Conference play and 8-5 overall, while Kean dipped to 10-4 overall and 2-3 in conference play.
Cafone’s goal was needed as Olivia Triano (Keyport, NJ/Keyport) tied the game at 3-3 for Kean with 3:08 in regulation as the team’s appeared headed for overtime. That goal completed a hat trick for Triano, who now has 14 goals on the season.
Earlier in the half, TCNJ’s Mary Waller (Bel Air, MD/C. Milton Wright) gave the hosts a 2-1 lead before Triano again tied the game, this time at two minutes later.
Cafone’s first goal of the game later in the half putting the Lions in front 3-2 as she batted in a centering pass from freshman Caitlyn Jenkins (Mickleton, NJ/Kingsway) with less than 10 minutes remaining. For the second time in the half, Triano erased TCNJ’s lead before Cafone’s second tally of the game iced the win for the Lions.
In the first half, Kean struck early as Triano opened the scoring firing in a low shot that originated off of a penalty corner. That goal came 5:45 into the game.
The hosts pulled even just over nine minutes later as junior Jessica Falcone (Cherry Hill, NJ/Camden Catholic) poked in a rebound knotting the game at a goal apiece.
The game went into the half tied thanks to Kean goalie Lauren Dobbs (Palmyra, NJ/Palmyra) as she denied TCNJ on a penalty stroke with 14:51 left.
Sophomore Shannon Syciarz (Garwood, NJ/Arthur L. Johnson) made three saves for the Lions.
For the Cougars, Dobbs finished with 10 saves.
TCNJ caps off the home portion of the schedule on Thursday hosting Ramapo College at 7:30 p.m., while the Cougars are on the road that same day at Juniata College for a 3:30 p.m. start.