Nov. 9, 2007

Box Score

OREM, UT - The NJIT women's soccer team ended its 2007 season with a 3-0 defeat against the host and second-seeded Utah Valley, 3-0, in the United Soccer Conference Tournament semifinals on Friday afternoon.

The defeat was the first in the last six contests for NJIT, which was 4-1-1 from October 24 on, including the last four regular season contests and the first round of the USC tournament two days earlier.

The host Wolverines scored twice in the first 26 minutes and later added a second-half tally to earn a spot in Sunday's conference championship game. Utah Valley will take on top-seeded Longwood, which ousted #4 Howard, 4-0, in Friday's other semifinal match.

Utah Valley's Jenni Clough, announced earlier as the United Soccer Conference Player of the Year, scored the second and third goals for the Wolverines against NJIT.

Adrienne Schneider, a second-team all-conference honoree, scored Utah Valley's first goal and assisted on both of Clough's tallies against the Highlanders.

Schneider opened the scoring at 21:17 and Clough struck in the 26th and again in the 54th minute.

The first two Utah Valley goals came on shots from the top of the box and the final tally was a one-on-one confrontation with Clough taking a through pass from Schneider and putting it past NJIT freshman goalkeeper Sadie Mele.

Mele, who was named to the all-conference third team, stopped nine shots. Utah Valley's Mallory Schott, also a third-team all-USC pick, started and played the first 71:38, before giving way to Hailey Brown, who finished up. The Utah Valley pair combined for five saves in the shutout.

The total shots favored Utah Valley, 31-8, but the Highlanders were more accurate, putting five of their eight shots on goal, while Utah Valley had 12 shots on goal.

Recording two shots for the Highlanders were: Michelle Borth, Amanda Bayiokos and Aine O'Dwyer. Captain Briana Morales and freshman Sarah Rusciano added one. Both of O'Dwyer's shots demanded saves, while Borth, Bayiokos and Rusciano all put their shots on goal.

Dena Baskous, Amanda Bayiokos and Aine O'Dwyer all made their final appearances for NJIT. Stephanie Macias completed her career, as well, and Katie Hepfinger and Angelica Sepulveda were both sidelined with injury in the final game of their final seasons.

Erika Taugher, NJIT's all-time scoring leader, is in her senior academic year and was honored on women's soccer's 2007 Senior Day. She missed most of the 2006 season and her attempt to regain that year of eligibility for 2008 is pending outside review.

The NJIT seniors have been part of a remarkable transition that began with a 5-10-1 record at the Division II level in their freshman seasons.

In 2005, they were sophomore leaders of a team that set a program record for overall wins (8) and conference wins (7) while qualifying for postseason play for the first time with a berth in the ECAC Division II tournament.

Moving up to Division I competition in 2006, the program went back to a rebuilding mode and the overall record was 1-13-1.

This season, bolstered by a strong freshman class, the seniors showed the way for a marked improvement to 4-14-1 that included the strong finish.

The team fought through a start that was both encouraging and frustrating as the Highlanders lost each of their first six games in 2007 by the margin of just one goal. A seventh one-goal loss came later in the season.

On the statistical ledger, NJIT cut its goals against to 37 in 19 games after allowing 59 goals in 15 games a year earlier. The offense also improved to 18 goals after managing five goals in 2006.