South Jersey Soccer:
Barons Top Riptide 3-1, Could Regain First Place

Saturday, July 10, 1999

By Forrest Robleto
SJSports Staff Writer

Last Saturday Matt Miles scored 4 goals to beat the New Jersey Stallions 4-0, and it looked for a while as if he might do it again. But tonight's game had more balanced scoring, with goals from Matt Miles, Joe Nick and Majik Agu.

The referee apparently knew these teams were not on friendly terms, as he handed out two yellow cards in the first four minutes. The battle began and for the next half-hour neither team had a very good scoring opportunity. Finally, at about the 34-minute mark, Matt Miles blew past his defender and slammed the ball into the top right corner of the net easily out of the reach of Riptide keeper Rob Vautughian. The goal was Miles' team leading 10th of the season. Matt Brooks earned an assist on the play.

Central Jersey came back a few minute later as Ryan O'Niel came up from the defense bury a ball passed from Javier Gonzalez. O'Neil's goal was nearly identical to Matt Miles' goal, beating keeper Paul Royal as he was diving to make the save.

The tie lasted a good while till Miles headed a ball across to Matt Brooks, who headed the ball to Joe Nick, who headed the ball home in nifty 'Butabing, butabang, butaboomb' fashion.

Majik Agu, who hasn't had a goal in the last two games despite some stellar play, got one in to seal the game when Matt Miles was taken down in the box with one minute to play and Agu took the penalty shot. That goal not only sealed the game but also got the Barons bonus points for the standings.

Vautughian finished the night with six saves in the losing effort, while Royal recorded five for South Jersey. The Barons outshot Central Jersey 19 to 13 for the game, witnessed by 1,441 fans.

While Central Jersey moved up a level from the PDL to play the Barons (who play in the D3 Pro League), the game counts in the standings for both teams. South Jersey improves to 9-2 in league games (11-4 over all, including U.S. Open Cup Qualification Games). Central Jersey falls to 5-4 in league contests. With the bonus point, the win is worth five points to the Barons, who now have 39. Depending on the outcome of tonight's contest between the Western Massachusetts Pioneers and Reading Rage, the five points earned could put the Barons back into first place in the Northern Conference.

South Jersey's next home game will be on Saturday July 31 at Carey Stadium in Ocean City, NJ.

Photos by Forrest Robleto

South Jersey Barons 1999 Statistics
Through July 10, 1999

Scorers:

Matt Miles (League Games: 9 Goals, 6 Assists, 24 Points; U.S. Open Cup Qualification Games: 1 Goal, 1 Assist, 3 Points; 27 Total Points)

Joe Nick (League Games: 5 Goals, 2 Assist, 12 Points; U.S. Open Cup Qualification Games: 5 Goals, 1 Assist, 11 Points; 23 Total Points)

Majik Agu (League Games: 5 Goals, 3 Assist, 13 Points; U.S. Open Cup Qualification Games: 0 Goals, 1 Assist, 1 Point; 14 Total Points)

Matt Brooks (League Games: 3 Goals, 2 Assists, 9 Points; U.S. Open Cup Qualification Games: 0 Goals, 0 Assists, 0 Points; 9 Total Points)

Eric Chijioke (League Games: 1 Goal, 2 Assists, 4 Points; U.S. Open Cup Qualification Games: 1 Goal, 0 Assist, 2 Points; 6 Total Points)

Craig Wicken (League Games: 1 Goal, 3 Assists, 5 Points; U.S. Open Cup Qualification Games: 0 Goals, 0 Assists, 0 Points; 5 Total Points)

Pat Hickey (League Games: 1 Goal, 2 Assists, 4 Points; U.S. Open Cup Qualification Games: 0 Goals, 1 Assist, 1 Point; 5 Total Points)

James Harvey (League Games: 1 Goal, 1 Assist, 3 Points; U.S. Open Cup Qualification Games: 0 Goals, 0 Assists, 0 Points; 3 Total Points)

Mike Hayes (League Games: 1 Goal, 0 Assists, 2 Points; U.S. Open Cup Qualification Games: 0 Goals, 1 Assist, 1 Point; 3 Total Points)

Alvaro Fiquerola (League Games: 0 Goals, 0 Assists, 0 Points; U.S. Open Cup Qualification Games: 1 Goal, 1 Assist, 3 Points; 3 Total Points)

Paul Zgalich (League Games: 1 Goal, 0 Assists, 2 Points; U.S. Open Cup Qualification Games: 0 Goals, 0 Assists, 0 Points; 2 Total Points)

Rob DiMeo (League games: 0 Goals, 2 Assists, 2 Points; U.S. Open Cup Qualification Games: 0 Goals, 0 Assists, 0 Points; 2 total Points)

Mark Southern (League Games: 0 Goals, 1 Assist, 1 Point; U.S. Open Cup Qualification Games: 0 Goals, 1 Assist, 1 Point; 2 Total Points)

Mike Cellini: (League Games: 0 Goals, 1 Assist, 1 Point; U.S. Open Cup Qualification Games: 0 Goals, 0 Assists, 0 Points; 1 Total Point)

Dan Christian: (League Games: 0 Goals, 1 Assist, 1 Point; U.S. Open Cup Qualification Games: 0 Goals, 0 Assists, 0 Points; 1 Total Point)

Goalkeeping:

Paul Royal (League Games: 1015 Minutes, 48 Saves, 14 Goals Allowed, Goals Against Average: 1.24; U.S. Open Cup Qualification Games: 64 Minutes, 4 Saves, 0 Goals Allowed, Goals Against Average: 0.00; Over-all Goals Against Average: 1.17)

Jeremy Kirchner (League Games: 0 Minutes, 0 Saves, 0 Goals Allowed, Goals Against Average: N/A; U.S. Open Cup Qualification Games: 296 Minutes, 14 Saves, 7 Goals Allowed, Goals Against Average: 2.13; Over-all Goals Against Average: 2.13)

Team Record:

League Games: 9 - 2
U.S. Open Cup Qualification Games: 2 - 2
Over-all Record: 11 - 4

Results:

April 24, Barons 0 - New Jersey Stallions 3 (U.S. Open Cup Qualifier)
May 1, Barons 4 - North Jersey Imperials 0 (U.S. Open Cup Qualifier)
May 8, Barons 0 - at New Jersey Stallions 2 ( U.S. Open Cup Qualifier)
May 15, Barons 2 - Reading Rage 3 (OT) (League Game)
May 22, Barons 4 - New Hampshire Phantoms 2 (League Game)
May 23, Barons 4 - at Reading Rage 2 (U.S. Open Cup Qualifier)
May 29, Barons 2 - at Westchester Flames 1 (League Game)
June 5, Barons 4 - Delaware Wizards 0 (League Game)
June 6, Barons 2 - at Central Jersey Riptide 1 (Shoot-out) (League Game)
June 11, Barons 2 - at Western Mass. Pioneers 1 (League Game)
June 12, Barons 1 - at New Hampshire Phantoms 2 (League Game)
June 19, Barons 2 - Westchester Flames 1 (League Game)
June 20, Barons 3 - at Delaware Wizards 2 (League Game)
July 3, Barons 4 - New Jersey Stallions 0 (League Game)
July 10, Barons 3 - Central Jersey Riptide 1 (League Game)