CAMDEN, N.J. (Sept. 14, 2013) – A battle of undefeated Top 20 programs brought out the best in both the Rutgers University-Camden and Salisbury University men’s soccer teams here Saturday afternoon.

When the dust had cleared, it was the host Scarlet Raptors that remained unbeaten with a 2-1 victory over the Sea Gulls, allowing Rutgers-Camden to tie three program records.

Rutgers-Camden, ranked No. 13 in the D3soccer.com Top 25 poll and No. 17 in the NSCAA Division III national rankings, hiked its record to 7-0, tying the 2008 team for the best perfect start to a season and tying the program record of seven consecutive wins, accomplished in 1983, 1986, 1988 and 2008.

The victory also stretched the Scarlet Raptors’ unbeaten string to 19 games, dating back to last season, to tie another program mark. The Raptors were 9-0-3 in their last 12 contests last season before their 7-0 start this season. The team hasn’t lost on the field since a 4-3 overtime defeat at Montclair State University on Sept. 29, 2012.

The 19-game unbeaten string tied the two-season mark set by clubs in 2003 (winning their last two games) and 2004 (opening the season with a 13-0-4 start).

The Scarlet Raptors will try to break all of those marks on Wednesday when they host Manhattanville College at 7 p.m.

Salisbury, meanwhile, suffered its first loss after opening the season with five victories, in which the Sea Gulls out-scored teams, 23-1. Salisbury is ranked No. 16 nationally in the D3soccer.com Top 25 poll this week.

In a hard-fought game in which the Scarlet Raptors held a 15-12 edge in shots and a 5-2 margin in corner kicks, the score was deadlocked at 0-0 until Salisbury was called for a shove in the penalty box at 33:10, allowing Rutgers-Camden senior midfielder Mitch Grotti (Milmay, NJ/Millville) to take a penalty kick. Grotti converted a shot to the left side for his third goal of the season and the 43rd of his stellar career, allowing him to tie the program goal-scoring mark set by George Scafidi (1974-77). It also gave him 106 points in his career – four shy of the program record held by Mike Zeno (1992-95).

The Scarlet Raptors tacked on a big insurance goal at 54:50 after a shot by sophomore forward Mike Ryan (Marlton, NJ/Cherokee) was blocked by the Salisbury defense. Sophomore midfielder Connor Hurff (Sewell, NJ/St. Augustine Prep) ripped the rebound inside the right post for his fourth goal of the season.

Hurff’s goal ended up being his first game-winning goal since transferring to Rutgers-Camden, because the Sea Gulls made it a one-goal game at 67 minutes. Senior midfielder Jake Perry (West Deptford, NJ/West Deptford) drilled a shot from the top of the box inside the left post for his first goal of the season after taking a feed from senior midfielder Elliott Crompton (Baltimore, MD/Calvert Hall).

Perry’s goal snapped the consecutive scoreless minute streak of Rutgers-Camden senior goalie Mike Randall (Cherry Hill, NJ/Cherry Hill East) at 446:45. It also prevented Randall from collecting his fifth straight shutout, which would have tied the program record.

Randall finished with three saves for the Scarlet Raptors, while sophomore Drew Staedeli (Ellicott City, MD/Mt. Hebron) had four saves for the Sea Gulls.

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