Oct. 24, 2007

Box Score

NEWARK, NJ - Freshman Kori Washington's pair of goals led the NJIT women in a 5-1 win over Howard in United Soccer Conference play in a steady rain Wednesday night on Lubetkin Field.

Washington, who collected her second and third goals of the season, added an assist, giving her a five-point night. The other three NJIT goal scorers were Xiomara Medina, Emma Vinski and Michelle Borth.

Medina had an assist on top of her goal and Dena Baskous, Erika Taugher and Sarah Rusciano added one assist each for the Highlanders.

Howard's goal, the first of the game for either team, was scored by Kelli Johnson, assisted by Rachael Lee at the 13:38 mark.

NJIT freshman goalkeeper Sadie Mele made four saves in the win, while Howard's Jessamyn Perkins stopped three shots.

The Highlanders doubled Howard on overall shots, 16-8, and the shots on goal also favored NJIT, 8-5. The Bison had a 4-1 edge in corner kicks.

The victory over Howard lifted the Highlanders to 1-2 in the United Soccer Conference with two conference regular season matches still to play. This is NJIT's first season in the USC.

Howard, now 2-2 in the USC, grabbed the early lead thanks to Lee, a freshman who is strong on the ball. She powered down the middle of the box and got off a strong shot that rebounded to Johnson, who scored easily from the doorstep.

Howard's 1-0 lead held for more than 15 minutes, but NJIT gradually took more of the play leading up to the equalizer.

Medina, a freshman, knotted the score at 1-1 in the 30th minute on an assist from classmate Sarah Rusciano, who served the ball into the goal area from 25 yards out.

Washington scored what proved to be the game winner at 34:43, finishing Taugher's left-to-right corner kick that grazed off of Baskous, who was attempt to score on a header landed at Washington's feet.

Leading at the break, 2-1, NJIT poured in three second-half goals.

Washington's second goal, assisted by Medina just 1:25 into the second half, pushed the Highlander lead to 3-1.

Emma Vinski, who has worked hard to come back from a serious knee injury, scored her first goal since September 2005, taking a lead pass from Washington and catching Howard's Perkins out of position for a goal from the left wing.

Vinski, then a freshman, scored NJIT's first goal of 2005 in a September 7 game. She was injured later that season and missed some games. She eventually underwent surgery and ended up missing the entire 2006 season. Returning this year, Vinski has played in all 14 games for the 2007 Highlanders.

NJIT freshman Michelle Borth scored the most spectacular goal of the night just 2:33 from the finish. The Highlanders were awarded a direct free kick after a Howard foul and Borth fired a 20-yard waist-high blast into the goal to close things out.

The Highlanders have a quick turnaround and will play their final regular season road game in two days, visiting Delaware State for another USC match on Friday at 6 pm in Dover, DE.