TROY, N.Y. – The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) men's soccer team got a first half goal and then hung on throughout the second half to defeat Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) 1-0 in a non-conference match at East Campus Stadium.

The Lions took the lead in the 28th minute when junior Bobby Hunter volleyed a headed ball from a defender into the net from close range. The play began with a long free kick to the far post that RPI attempted to clear but the ball was sent across the front of the net to Hunter. His left-footed volley inside the post gave the visitors a 1-0 advantage.
 
The Engineers had a solid chance to take a 1-0 lead in the 17th minute when sophomore Julio Rodriguez found himself on the end of a long diagonal ball from Paul Silva. He cut inside to lose a defender and faced a 1-on-1 with the keeper, Julian Franco, who came out to save the bid from about 13 yards out. The ball bounced back to Rodriguez but his second shot was wide to the left of the goal.
 
Both teams had seven shots in the first half and both goalkeepers, Franco for TCNJ and Luke Brezak for RPI, made three saves.
 
The second half featured eight shots with six coming from the Engineers, who forced Franco to make four saves. One of his best stops came with under eight minutes to play when he got his hands up to knock away a shot by Kyle Osborne in a 1-on-1 situation. RPI applied pressure throughout the frame, including opportunities from Reggie Durden, Osborne on a charging header and multiple chances on one of its two corner kicks.
 
The Engineers, who are now 2-3-2, begin Liberty League play on Saturday against Bard College in Troy (2pm), while the Lions put their 4-3-1 mark up against Ramapo College in a NJAC contest on Saturday at noon.