There aren’t many things bigger in Ocean City, N.J. than Memorial Day weekend as the summer season officially kicks off. The Nor’easters kicked off the weekend in style on Friday night.

Another goal by Andrew Kitch (North Carolina / Medford, NJ) and some penalty kick heroics by Stefano Camerlengo delivered the Ocean City Nor’easters a 1-0 win over the Philadelphia Lone Star FC. It was the 26th home opener for the Nor’easters. They have now won six straight home openers at Carey Stadium (“The Beach House”) in Ocean City, N.J., America’s Greatest Family Resort.

With the win, the Nor’easters remain perfect on the young season at 3-0-0, and extend the club’s regular season unbeaten streak to 18 games (15-0-3, dating back to 2021). The Storm’s home unbeaten streak has now reached eight games (7-0-1). They are currently alone at the top of the Mid-Atlantic Division standings, three points ahead of West Chester United (2-0-0), who play at Reading United (1-1-1) on Saturday night.

After three games in less than a week, the Nor'easters will get a little bit of time off before their next game. They will add another chapter to their rivalry with Reading United AC next Saturday, June 3. It will be the 56th all-time meeting between the clubs, the oldest active rivalry in the entire United Soccer Leagues. They will play at West Chester United on June 6 before they return back to Carey Stadium for their next home game on June 10 against Lehigh Valley United.

The Nor’easters opened the first ten minutes of the game with two quality scoring chances. One them went in.

In the 3rd minute, a ball was slipped through front the left wing into Sander Roed at the edge of the box. He took a touch into the penalty area and forced a save from Philadelphia goalkeeper Liam Smith.

Five minutes later, the Nor’easters broke through on a mistake by Lone Star FC. The Philadelphia backline was in possession, passing the ball around. One of the defenders passed the ball up to Patrick Singbah in midfield, who immediately played a one-time pass right back to his teammate. Unfortunately for him, it wasn’t a crisp pass and Andrew Kitch saw it coming. He jumped the pass and intercepted it and dribbled in on goal. With the  defender trailing right behind him, Kitsch was able to hold him off long enough to get a shot off that beat

The Nor’easters and their fans at Carey Stadium thought they had doubled the lead in the 15th minute. A corner kick was played into the heart of the box and headed out. It was headed back in to the right post where Maruki Kawahara (Nebraska-Omaha / Tochigi, Japan) headed the ball to the opposite post where Josh Jones (Louisville / Hatfield, PA) volleyed it into the back of the net. Unfortunately, the official called the play offside.

Four minutes later, a long ball up the right wing was collected by Roed. The Louisville Cardinal then played the ball across to the top of the box to Kitch who fired a shot just over the bar.

Lone Star had their first real chance of the game in the 27th minute. After a long throw in from the right sideline, the ball was headed into the box where a Philadelphia player found himself right on the doorstep. He headed toward the goal but it hit the crossbar and went straight down where Camerlengo gathered the loose ball. Philly would follow that up a few minutes later with a shot from distance that went just wide left as the visitors started to build some momentum.

In the 35th minute, a Philadelphia free kick from the left sideline, near midfield was curled in by Singbah. It was headed out by the Ocean City backline but fell to the top of the box, about 25 yards out. It was volleyed out of the air and forced a diving save by Camerlengo.




Ocean City had one last scoring chance in the first half in the 43rd minute. Nick Pariano dribbled the ball into the Philadelphia’s defensive third. He played the ball to the right wing for Roed, who sent the ball back to him in the penalty area on a 1-2. Pariano dribbled to the end line and launched a shot from close range and Smith made the save for Philly.

Lone Star would create a couple more chances before the halftime break but would be unable to pull level. A loose ball near the six-yard box off a Philadelphia corner kick would be struck off the crossbar, but the assistant referee called the play offside. Another shot from distance was hit just wide as Philadelphia went into the break feeling that the game was in reach, despite down 1-0.

In the second half, the Nor’easters once again created the early chances. After three misfired attempts, a fourth nearly went in. In the 64th minute, a Philadelphia pass was intercepted at midfield and Roed slipped a through ball in to Andre Sabino (Bethel College / Rondonopolis, Brazil) on the left wing. He ran on to the ball on a breakaway, tried to cut to his left to get around the goalkeeper but Smith sprawled out to knock the ball away and knock “Dede” to the turf.

Arguably the biggest moment of the game came in the 73rd minute when Philadelphia played a beautiful through ball in behind the Ocean City backline. Nor’easters defender Josh Jones, attempting to recover, took down the Lone Star player as he entered the penalty area and the official pointed to the spot. Jones was shown a red card and sent off and Philly would have a chance to tie the game up with a penalty kick.

But Camerlengo would preserve the lead, diving to his left and saving the penalty kick.

With the Nor’easters down a man, the final ten minutes or so belonged to the visitors. The majority of the rest of the game was spent on the Nor’easters’ side of the field but the Storm’s defense held strong and preserved the 1-0 win.

The game was the first of three between these two teams. Lone Star will host the next game on June 21, and the teams will have a rematch at the Beach House on July 7. With the win, the Nor'easters improve to 6-1-1 all-time against Philadelphia, and they are unbeaten in their last five meetings