Nov. 2, 2007

Box Score

NEWARK, NJ - NJIT women's soccer closed out regular season play in the United Soccer Conference with a 1-1 double overtime tie against visiting South Carolina State Friday night on Lubetkin Field.

NJIT finishes conference regular season play at 2-2-1 in its first season as a member of the USC. The visiting Bulldogs are 0-3-1 in the conference with a USC match remaining on Sunday at Delaware State.

With the tie, NJIT is unbeaten (2-0-1) in its last three matches, all played within the United Soccer Conference.

The teams ultimately played 110 minutes Friday night, but all of the scoring took place in the first 18:23.

Highlander freshman back Michelle Borth staked her squad to a 1-0 lead, heading in a crossing pass from Erika Taugher on a restart at 9:19.

Borth picked up her second goal of the season. Taugher, who takes all of NJIT's corner kicks, got her assist off of a free kick that was two or three yards in from the left corner flag.

Taugher's assist was her second of the season and the 10th of her career, tieing the school record. The assists record of 10 is held by Jayna Misiunas and Karina Merchan.

Taugher's third point of 2007 raised her career total to 35, tying her atop the all-time NJIT list with Cathy Wasko.

South Carolina State, which won its previous match, 2-0 over Lees-McRae, did not stay behind for long Friday night, pulling even barely more than nine minutes after NJIT had gone on top.

Junior Star Tazwell scored the equalizer, bagging her fourth goal of the season assisted by Elizabeth Govrik at 18:23.

The real hero of the match, however, was Bulldog goalkeeper Alechia Brothers, who kept her team in the game with 19 saves.

The offensive statistics, which favored NJIT by a lopsided margin in every category except goals scored, were a fair reflection of the match.

In total shots, NJIT had a 31-3 advantage and the shots on goal were 20-1 in favor of the Highlanders. NJIT's edge in corner kicks was 8-3.

Brothers made seven saves in each of the first two halves, three stops in the first overtime and two more in the second overtime. On the other end, with her team dominating the ball and playing mostly in the attacking half, NJIT goalkeeper Sadie Mele rarely even touched the ball.

NJIT, with a little more fortune and a little less of Brothers, could well have scored four more goals in regulation before having two more great chances in overtime.

Borth barely missed a second goal in the 28th minute when her waist-high blast from 20 yards out on a free kick was deflected over the top of the goal at the last instant by Brothers.

With just over four minutes left in the first half and South Carolina State looking fatigued, NJIT's Amanda Bayiokos sent a beautiful through pass from midfield down the middle and into the box hitting Aine O'Dwyer in stride. But O'Dwyer's rolling shot was deflected wide right by Brothers.

The Highlanders had another chance in the 50th minute when Xiomara Medina's shot from 15 yards away and straight on sailed just over the top of the net.

Brothers foiled NJIT again when she saved Kori Washington's redirection from in front on a shot from the left corner by Briana Morales.

The Bulldog goalkeeper prevented what easily could have been a deciding goal in each overtime period. In the 98th minute, Washington, the speedy NJIT freshman, broke past the visitors' defense for a one-on-one encounter that ended with Brothers doving at Washington's feet to smother the shot a few yards from the goal line.

Brothers' biggest flaw was a tendency to step out of the box when punting goal kicks. She regularly pushed the envelope on punts but got whistled just twice.

The last one with just over two minutes left in the second overtime led to another free kick from 20 yards by Borth, who again got off a hard shot, but Brothers deflected it clear of the goal.

NJIT has one regular season match remaining on Sunday at 5 pm, when the Highlanders host Saint Peter's on Lubetkin Field. That contest will be Senior Day, with NJIT set to honor its seniors in pre-game ceremonies.