@ColeTrain4EVER[/author_info] [/author]
EWING – Every member of the Lions has a place and a duty, something they’re trained to do if they want to win every game. Sometimes things go well, sometimes they don’t.
Sometimes players do their part to perfection.
The team’s latest New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) game against New Jersey City University was an example of the latter, as the team cruised to a 9-0 win at home on Saturday.
The game was all TCNJ from the opening, and the Lions’ talent on the attacking offense left the Gothic Knights scrambling as they tried to adapt. The team took 41 shots compared to NJCU’s 1, which only came 30 minutes into the game.
Junior midfielder Lauren Malajin believes she and the team around her know not to let up, and to always play hard.
“We always try to go for the goal any chance we get,” she said, smiling as she gleefully wore her ‘Player of the Game’ helmet, a team tradition for every win. “We play every team the same, like it’s our most important game.”
Malajin earned her helmet with a – no pun intended – hat trick during the match up with goals in the 27th, 30th and 42nd minutes – the last two being back-to-back in the list of TCNJ’s goals.
In total, six different players scored for TCNJ, two of them, including Malajin, scoring multiple times.
NJCU came into the game hoping to get its first NJAC win this year, but couldn’t get any offense generated in the 90 minutes, falling to 0-4. The second half had some of the time spent in the Lion zone, but no shots taken.
The Gothic Knights also suffered two injuries in the game, both needing some aid off the field. With only three substitutes to start the game, the injuries made substituting to provide rest difficult.
It wasn’t all positive for the Lions, however, as they started off the match seemingly out of sync in comparison to the last few games. Missed passes, sloppy crosses and a few other noticeable mess ups could be seen in the game’s early minutes.
Lions head coach Joe Russo thinks it was just like any other game.
“Like any game we play, we grew into it as time went on,” he explained. “There was a feeling out period for both teams.”
The Lions used a lot of substitutes in the game, making 20 such switches – including three goalie subs – giving multiple players time to work and do their part. This is something Malajin thinks is a key factor to the win.
“Getting everyone involved, it was important to the win,” Malajin said. “Everyone was able to take over for one another, and kept the game flow going.”
The Lions’ lead in the NJAC grew, but after the day’s other games at least two teams (Rowan University and Kean University) are both one win away from either over taking or tying the team.
Russo says the team just needs to keep practicing for their next few games.
“We continue to work on the same stuff we have been all season; defending, attacking and finishing,” he told me. “It’s never ending.”
It truly is, as the Lions prepare to take on Rutgers-Camden in another important NJAC matchup, on the road on Wednesday, Oct 14 at 7 p.m.
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