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Preview: With division title in sight, Nor'easters host RCNJ at Beach House

Ocean City is off to the best start to a season since 2004

Preview: With division title in sight, Nor'easters host RCNJ at Beach House

The Ocean City Nor’easters return to Carey Stadium (“The Beach House”) tonight, less than 48 hours after one of their biggest wins of the season. After a 2-1 road win over second place West Chester United on Wednesday, they will host Real Central New Jersey looking to stay undefeated and take another step toward clinching the Mid-Atlantic Division title.

The game will be played at Carey Stadium in Ocean City, N.J., America’s Greatest Family Resort. Kickoff is at 7 p.m.

Single-game tickets can be purchased for $10 each (general admission). The easiest way to purchase tickets is to buy them online through the Nor'easters website (OceanCityFC.com). Tickets can also be purchased at the Carey Stadium gate either with cash or with a smartphone.

Once again, any youth, high school or college soccer coach is entitled to a free season membership for all home games at Carey Stadium. Coaches interested in season tickets just have to register and fill out a short survey by clicking HERE. Also, youth soccer players from SJEB FC, New Jersey Surf and Cohansey Premier can get in free by wearing their club's shirt to Carey Stadium.

For fans unable to make it out to the Beach House, the Nor'easters are partnering with BFA Productions to provide a live video stream of both of this weekend's games through the digital streaming platform Eleven Sports, Local broadcast veteran Mike Frankel will handle the play-by-play duties. A link to the online broadcast will be posted on the Nor'easters social media accounts two hours before kickoff.

The Nor’easters enter Friday’s game as one of just eight teams in the league that are undefeated (8-0-2), and riding an 11-game unbeaten streak dating back to last season. With Wednesday’s win over West Chester, the Storm now have a seven point lead over United with four games left to play. The win also clinches the season series over West Chester (6-3-1), giving Ocean City a critical tiebreaker over them.

It was a dramatic win for Ocean City as Alessandro Arlotti (Harvard / San Remo, Italy) scored the game-winner in the 65th minute. The team’s top scorer (5 goals, 4 assists) headed home a beautiful bending cross from Nick Pariano (Duke / Philadelphia, PA), who scored Ocean City’s opening goal from the penalty spot in the 39th minute. The win also extended Ocean City’s club record road unbeaten streak to 12 games.

The Nor’easters could clinch the Mid-Atlantic Division this weekend. If Ocean City can beat RCNJ on Friday, and Reading United either wins or earns a draw against West Chester United on Saturday night, then the Storm will lock up their first division title since 2013.

Real Central New Jersey holds the distinction of being one of just two teams to not lose to the Nor’easters this year. In the season opener, RCNJ held Ocean City to a 1-1 draw. In their second meeting, this time at the Beach House on June 19, Pablo Marques scored a hat trick in a 5-2 win. It was a milestone win for the Nor’easters as it was the club’s 100th victory at Carey Stadium. They are the only team in the league to rack up 100 wins at a single venue.

This is just the second season for RCNJ. Last year, as an expansion team, they finished with a 2-9-3 record, and a last place finish in a very competitive Mid-Atlantic Division. The Nor'easters spoiled the club's inaugural game at their home at Mercer County Community College (a place that the Nor'easters called home temporarily during the 2003 season), beating them, 3-0. RCNJ's first trip to the Beach House also did not produce any goals with the Nor'easters winning 5-0 thanks to an Austin DaSilva hat trick.

It has been a very up and down second season for RCNJ. On the bright side, they have doubled their win total from a year ago. They also find themselves one win away from leapfrogging Reading United AC for third place in the division. Over their last four games they have alternated between wins and losses. In their last game, they lost 3-2 to Reading United in their home finale. The game appeared to be headed to a 2-2 draw, but Reading scored the game-winner deep into second half stoppage time.

Stas Korzeniowski is RCNJ’s top scorer with seven goals and five assists.

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