Lincroft – In heartbreaking fashion, the Brookdale men’s soccer team absorbed its first loss of the season.

With a perfect 20-0 record and ranked #2 nationally in Division III entering Wednesday’s match against Bergen Community College (12-4-2), their sights were set on a NJCAA national championship, but it all fell apart with a devastating 3-2 loss in a Region XIX semi final game on Brookdale’s home field.

While thoroughly dominating Bergen in every facet of the game the entire first half, with a 8-0 shot on goal advantage illustrating that point, Brookdale failed to score and that in it’s self was an important factor in their loss.

As the second half began to unfold much like the first with Brookdale applying relentless pressure in their offensive zone, the Jersey Blue’s finally scored (61:55) on a breakaway goal by Wesley DaSilva (Long Branch), his 15^th of the season giving the Blue’s a 1-0 lead. Chris Kotona’s(Howell) long pass led DaSilva perfectly setting up the breakaway.

The first of three crucial mistakes by Brookdale allowed Bergen to tie the game 1-1 at the 68.03 mark. Sal Vlashi scored off a rebound for the Bulldog’s.

Brookdale regrouped and again took control of the game exerting constant pressure on Bergen goalie Michael McCricker ( 21 saves on the day) when Alan Hrvatin (Aberdeen) took the ball away and fed a streaking Wesley Da Silva who scored on a scorching shot just inside the right corner giving Brookdale a 2-1 lead.

At that point Brookdale seemed to have the game in hand and might have let up just a bit leading to Bergen tying the game at 2-2. with only 5:15 left. This seemed to stun the Blue’s and give the Bulldog’s a huge momentum lift.

Three minutes latter with time running out and the action turning chaotic at both ends of the field, Bergen scored the game winner off an errant bounce from a header that seemed to freeze goalie William Tully. Now down by one with two minutes to play, Brookdale’s attempt to rouse one last scoring threat was futile and Brookdale’s first and only loss of the season was in the books.

As the Brookdale player’s left the field, the shock and disappointment not only could be seen on their faces but on all in attendance. It was a tough way to end such a promising season and an agonizing end to their dream of a national championship.

Lincroft – In what turned out to be a closer than expected game, the Brookdale men’s soccer team (20-0) beat a very determined Cumberland County College (11-8-2) at Brookdale yesterday 2-0, to forge into the semi finals of the NJCAA Region XIX soccer playoffs.

With Cumberland employing an aggressive style of play, Brookdale’s high octane offense, boasting three of the top four leading scorers in league play, was held in check throughout the first half resulting in 0-0 tie.

Brookdale’s only real scoring threat of the first half came on a inbound pass from Justin Gregory (Wall) to Gary Papa (Belford), who’s shot from 20 yards out was just wide, late in the first half. Papa played a fine all around game and was signaled out by coach Costa for his unselfish play today and throughout the entire year.

As both defenses continued to dominate in the second half with vigorous checking, The Duke’s scrappy play and some lenient officiating gave the game a tense feel with a playoff flavor.

A great save by Brookdale goalie William Tully (Raritan) on a Cumberland breakaway at the 55:00 mark kept the game tied. Tully, a force in the net all year brought the crowd to its feet with that one.

Pat Holliday’s (Howell) corner  kick was headed by Chris Katona just wide at the 64:00 mark. On the play Katona was giving a yellow card for illegal hands, a questionable call that seemed to spark the entire team.

At that point most the play was in Brookdale’s offensive end with the Blues controlling the flow of the game. Wesley DeSilva (Long Branch) then took the ball away from a Cumberland player and fed Katona in front of goal, who’s shot just cleared the cross bar, for 1-0 Brookdale lead. Katona’s goal, his 24^th of the year and league leading 70^th point came at the 73:11 mark.

Keeping the pressure on and holding onto a precarious one goal lead, Brookdale scored again at 74:54 on a nice take away by Dave Cornwell (London,England) again finding Chris Katona open for bang, bang goal and a 2-0 lead.

With 15 minutes left in the game there was no time to relax and the defense, led by Alan Hrvatin (Aberdeen), Justin Gregory, Angel Pantoja (Freehold) and Pat Holliday shut down Cumberland from that point on for a final score of 2-0.

The hard fought win was Brookdale’s 20^th straight of the season and remain undefeated at 20-0. The Jersey Blue’s will play Bergen Community College (11-4-2) Wednesday 10/26/11 at Brookdale, game time is 3:00 pm. In their first meeting earlier this season, Brookdale won a 2-1 OT thriller, so it ought to be a exciting match up.

Lincroft, NJ -- The Brookdale Community College men’s soccer team clinched the Garden State Athletic Conference title and the top seed in the Region XIX tournament with a 3-0 win a Sussex County Community College Monday. 

Freshmen Andy Caban (Red Bank) and Wesley DaSilva (Long Branch) each scored one goal and sophomore Angel Pantoja (Freehold Boro) contributed the other.

Goalkeeper Ryan Bumbera (Wall) posted the team’s 12^th shut-out of the year. 

The win marked the first time that the men’s soccer team has completed a perfect season with no ties.

The squad will learn its fate for the Region XIX tournament after Thursday evening’s seeding conference call.  First round of tournament play begins on Saturday, October 22^nd at the home of the higher seed.

Anyone catch today's Asbury Park Press?

Check out the article on three of the Nation's most prolific offensive threats in Chris Katona, David Cornwell and Wes Dasilva and their quest to bring a National title back to Brookdale here.

LINCROFT- In a rematch of last year’s Region XIX  Championship Game won by Brookdale, the Jersey Blues men’s soccer team (17-0) defeated the Ocean County College Vikings 2-1.

The Vikings (10-5-1) got on the board first at the 17:32 mark when Kristopher Olsen-Barr netted his 12^th goal of the season, heading in a perfect pass from Albert Kolesa.

With the sting of last year’s loss still fresh in their minds, the game took on a decidedly rough edge to it as both teams jostled each other for possession. Then at the 23.40 mark, Ocean was assessed a slide tackle foul on Brookdale’s Mike Pereria (West Long Branch).

Brookdale  was awarded a free direct kick from the original foul and freshman defender Justin Gregory ( Wall) converted on a rocket shot into the far right corner of the net, his third of the season. The first half ended 1-1, with much of the same defensive posturing.

The second half was more of the same with neither team wanting to make a mistake and give up the lead. Brookdale began to apply pressure in their zone and a Chris Kalona’s (Howell) goal was  waved off for offside’s at 70:50.

Brookdale was dominating play at this point, applying constant pressure and it paid off when they were awarded a penalty kick. National leading scorer David Cornwell drilled a shot just wide of the post and game remained tied.

The Blues Ryan Bumbera (Wall) made an outstanding save (89:10) to preserve the game after a miscue by two Brookdale defenders gave Ocean the breakaway.

Once back down on the opposite end of the field, after Chris Katona’s and Wesley DeSilva’s shots being rejected, Gary Papa got the rebound and fed the ball to Pat Holiday who knocked it home for  2-1 lead with 10:23 left in the game to preserve the lead.

Brookdale’s last home game of the regular season is this Sat.,10-15-11 against Montgomery CC. Come out and support our undefeated team.

Lincroft, NJ and Toms River, NJ - Cross county rivals on any other night, but the two shore conference community colleges were on the same team for the inaugural Kick it to Cancer Night.

 The men’s and women’s soccer teams of Brookdale Community College and Ocean County College all donned supportive colors to raise awareness and funds for breast and bladder cancer during their matches on Tuesday evening.

Both men’s squads, who faced off at Brookdale’s home field in Lincroft, Monmouth County, supported breast cancer with Ocean sporting pink warm-up shirts and Brookdale wearing pink athletic tape and pink sweat bands.

 At Ocean County College, the Viking women also showed support of breast cancer with pink warm-up shirts, while the Brookdale women wore yellow shirts for bladder cancer.

The efforts did not just end on the soccer field. The Brookdale teams carried over the Kick it to Cancer event onto campus, setting up a table in the Student Center to sell chocolate covered pretzels and the Ocean teams raised funds throughout the week in an internet campaign to friends and family and at a bake sale during the women's game.  All proceeds raised by both teams will go to benefit the cause. 

About NFCR’s Kick it to Cancer

This fall, teams from around the country participated in the “NFCR’s Kick Cancer Team” Campaign with the National Foundation for Cancer Research. High School and College soccer teams did a tremendous job promoting cancer awareness in the community and raising funds for cancer research. The National Foundation for Cancer Research (NFCR) is a leading cancer research charity dedicated to funding cancer research and public education relating to cancer prevention, earlier diagnosis, better treatments and, ultimately, a cure for cancer. NFCR promotes and facilitates collaboration among scientists to accelerate the pace of discovery from bench to bedside.

The accolades continue to roll in for the Nation’s leading scorer David Cornwell.  With a three-goal performance at Gloucester, Cornwell broke the men's soccer program’s career scoring record.  His 46 goals in his two-year career breaks Joe Parella’s previous record of 45 set in the 2008 and 2009 seasons.  Cornwell is only one goal away from breaking a 30-year-old single season goal scoring records, set in the 1970’s by Lou Giglio.

Photo credit:  Jack Flaherty Photography

You have found the new social media hub for all things Jersey Blues!  Use this site to get your Brookdale athletics fix: we will be listing game updates, record-breaking performances, and community relations initiatives all fueled by the student-athletes at Brookdale Community College.

About Brookdale Athletics:
Brookdale Community College, located in the Lincroft section of Middletown Township, is an excellent resource for residents of Monmouth County, New Jersey. Founded in 1967 and sponsored by the citizens of Monmouth County through the Board of Chosen Freeholders, the college does not discriminate against anyone on any basis, either in education or in employment practices. The athletics department currently sponsors 13 varsity sports (men’s and women’s soccer, men’s and women’s tennis, cross country, men’s and women’s basketball, cheerleading, baseball, softball, men’s and women’s lacrosse and golf). Brookdale Community College proudly competes in Region XIX, the Garden State Athletic Conference and the National Junior College Athletic Association.