Box Score
NEWARK, NJ—NJIT and defending United Soccer Conference regular season champion Longwood played 110 minutes of scoreless women's soccer midday Saturday on Lubetkin Field in the first official event of the annual NJIT Day celebration.
The overall shot totals favored Longwood, 22-12, while the shots on goal were 10-8 for the Lancers. Longwood had a 10-7 advantage on corner kicks.
The corner kicks were a good indicator of the flow of play, particularly in regulation. Longwood kept the ball in the NJIT end for much of the first half and that was reflected in an 8-3 edge in corner kicks for the half.
NJIT got more of the play late in the first half and throughout the second half and into overtime.
Both goalkeepers were solid, as NJIT's Sadie Mele and Longwood's Marcia Biddle combined to make 18 saves—10 of them by Mele. In addition to some fine saves, the pair also received some help from the goalposts and crossbars in posting the dual shutout.
Longwood, which was undefeated (5-0) in the 2007 United Soccer Conference regular season, came into Saturday's match with a 1-0 USC record in 2008. Indeed, Longwood has not lost to a USC team in the regular season since October 1, 2006 in a period covering nine games.
NJIT came into Saturday's matchup with a 1-1 conference record, having won at South Carolina State (2-0) last Sunday and then lost at home to Utah Valley (2-1) on Wednesday.
The Highlanders and Lancers each had two fine scoring chances in Saturday's first half, starting with a 15-yard shot on a breakaway by Longwood's Tia Nardella that Mele deflected wide in the fifth minute.
The next two chances went to the Highlanders, as Michelle Borth took a 30-yard free kick that Biddle deflected over the top of the goal in the 25th minute and Erika Taugher just missed what would have been a spectacular goal when she fired on the run from 35 yards and hit the crossbar in the 32nd minute. Five minutes later, Longwood's Soraya Serra took a 25-yard free kick that Mele deflected for a save.
The second half was wide open and Michelle DiSienno and Kayla Huggins missed on dangerous chances, before NJIT's Jennifer Kalczewski came close on a 15-yard try in the 80th minute that was set up by a strong run out of the left corner into the box by #Kori Washington#. The half also included a couple of plays where Mele ranged as far as 40 yards out of her goal to break up counter attacks by Longwood.
Most of the game's shots came from a distance and a clear look for the keepers, with very little coming off of traffic in front of the goal. However, Mele made a big save six minutes into the overtime to stop a 12-yard shot by Longwood's Kaylyn Mahon after a scramble in the box.
The second and final overtime had opportunities for each team. NJIT's Taugher nearly caught the Longwood defense relaxing with a soft back-to-the-goal header that ticked off the right goal post with seven minutes left. Four minutes later, Longwood's Lauren Trizna hit the crossbar on a free kick and DeSieno shot high on the ensuing rebound.
The Highlanders are off until Friday at 7 pm, when they host Delaware State in another United Soccer Conference match on Lubetkin Field.
