Rutgers-Camden men advance
to ECAC Metro soccer semifinals

CAMDEN (Nov. 9, 2006) – Torrential rains and flooding forced the Rutgers University-Camden and City College of New York men’s soccer teams to wait a day before playing their quarterfinal game in the 2006 ECAC Division III Metro Championship.

When the second-seeded Scarlet Raptors and seventh-seeded Beavers finally played here Thursday, Rutgers-Camden used a flood of first-half goals on its way to a 5-0 victory over CCNY. The Scarlet Raptors scored four first-half goals as they raised their record to 11-4-6.

The victory advanced Rutgers-Camden to the ECAC Metro semifinals, where it will host #3 Richard Stockton College Saturday at 1 p.m. Stockton defeated #6 Ramapo College, 3-1, in another rain-delayed quarterfinal game Thursday night, making the ECAC Metro semifinals an all-New Jersey Athletic Conference affair. In Saturday’s other semifinal game, top-seeded New Jersey City University hosts No. 4 Kean University at 1 p.m.

The win was the first ECAC tournament victory for Rutgers-Camden, which lost its previous three ECAC games in 1988, 2000 and 2001.

Rutgers-Camden junior midfielder Pat Baldiserra (Milmay, NJ/Buena Regional) collected a goal and an assist in the contest. He scored the game’s first goal at 4:43, picking up a loose ball in the box after CCNY keeper Neil Khalid Salim (Queens, NY/Pelham Memorial) made a save against the Raptors’ Rodney Guishard (Mays Landing, NJ/Oakcrest). It was Baldiserra’s fourth goal of the season.

Baldiserra added a second-half assist on a goal by freshman back Pat Morris (Bellmawr, NJ/Paul VI). The assist, a cross from the left side for a tap-in by Morris, was the 11th of the year for Baldiserra, one shy of the single-season program mark shared by Ruthven Williams (1976) and Mike Zeno (1995). It also was his 22nd career assist, six shy of Zeno’s program mark (1992-95).

Rutgers-Camden, which held a 19-9 advantage in shots, added a second goal at 12:04. Freshman midfielder Mark Gidjunis (Cinnaminson, NJ/Cinnaminson) notched his first career goal off an assist from junior midfielder Rob Gambino (Marlton, NJ/Cherokee).

A takedown in the box gave the Raptors a penalty kick at 29:02, and senior goalie David Cunningham (Voorhees, NJ/Eastern Regional) took the shot to score his first career goal. Moments later, team-leading scorer Andrew Dorsey (Mt. Laurel, NJ/The King’s Christian School) tallied his ninth goal at 33:21. The sophomore forward was assisted by freshman midfielder Dom Crocetti (Marlton, NJ/Holy Cross).

Cunningham collected three saves while playing 34:03 in goal to earn the victory. He split the shutout with junior Brent Grunow (Estell Manor, NJ/Buena Regional) and freshman Corey McDonough (Philadelphia, PA/Northeast Catholic). Grunow played 21:18 without needing to make a save, while McDonough made one save in the final 34:39. It was the Raptors’ ninth team shutout of the year.

For the Beavers, who end their season at 10-7, Salim made five saves.