FARMVILLE, VA—NJIT's 2008 women's soccer season ended in a 4-0 loss against top-seeded Utah Valley in the semifinal round of the women's United Soccer Conference postseason tournament hosted by Longwood on Saturday afternoon.

Utah Valley, which was the undefeated (5-0) regular season champion of the USC, had defeated NJIT, 2-1, on October 8 in Newark. On that day, Utah Valley scored the only goal of the first half. But the Highlanders drew even on a goal by Erika Taugher in the 55th minute, before the Wolverines got the game-winner less than seven minutes from the end.

Utah Valley (11-6-1 overall) did not allow another score in 2008 conference play after Taugher's goal, beating their next four USC foes by a combined 13-0 and getting at least three goals in each match.

The shutout streak continued into the opening round of the conference tournament against the Highlanders. Two Utah Valley goalkeepers split Saturday's shutout down the middle, with starter Mallory Schott going the first 45 minutes without facing a shot and Kelley Thompson going the last 45 and making the only save of the day for the Wolverines. Amanda Gannon took the NJIT shot on goal.

NJIT goalkeeper Sadie Mele played all 90 minutes and made eight saves.

The Wolverines, who got their goals from four different players, struck twice in the first 13 minutes and added another first-half goal before adding another in the second half en route to the dominant win.

The Utah Valley goal scorers were Adrienne Schneider, Jennifer Lohner, Jenni Clough and Jaime Lyons. Clough and Lyons each had assists, as did Athena Maher. Lohner had scored the game-winning goal in Utah Valley's earlier 2-1 regular season win over NJIT.

Utah Valley, which outshot the Highlanders, 20-2, including 12-1 in shots on goal, got on the board with Schneider's fourth goal of the year, assisted by Maher at 9:36.

Lohner, assisted by Clough made it 2-0 for UVU with her sixth goal a little more than three minutes later.

Clough scored her sixth goal, assisted by Lyons, at 36:04 and Lyons got an unassisted goal at 63:33 for the only scoring in the second half.

NJIT, which finished its third season of Division I competition with a 2-16-1 record, marked the final career games of at least two seniors, Taugher and Katie DeRosa. Two other members of the class of 2009, Emma Vinski and Briana Morales were honored this year on Senior Day, but have used only three of a possible four years of eligibility.

Taugher, who led the Highlanders this year with three goals, four assists and 10 points, finished her career as the NJIT leader in all three categories, plus career games (72). She finished with 16 career goals, 15 career assists and 47 career points.

She played in NJIT's last two Division II seasons (2004 and 2005), was injured in the first Division I season (2006) and then returned to play all 38 games the last two seasons, starting 37 of them.

DeRosa, who came on as a substitute on Saturday, appeared in 17 games this year, starting 13. She played in 60 career games, fourth on the all-time list behind Taugher (72), Erin Salgado (65 from 2002-05) and Amanda Bayiokos (62 from 2004-07).

DeRosa debuted in NJIT's final Division II season, when the Highlanders made the first postseason appearance in the history of the program that has now completed 13 seasons. The 2005 Highlanders, who set a program record with eight wins, including a 7-2-2 record in conference play, qualified and hosted the ECAC Division II tournament that year.

She later played as a starter or top reserve on the first three Division I NJIT teams, including this season.

NJIT's best three-game stretch this year came in the first three contests of October, when the Highlanders beat South Carolina State away, 2-0, fought Utah Valley to the end in the 2-1 loss and then played Longwood, the 2007 USC regular season champ to a scoreless double overtime tie.

The 2008 United Soccer Conference championship will be contested on Monday at 5:30 pm on Longwood's Athletics Complex. Host Longwood, the second seed, was facing Howard in Saturday's other semi for the right to face Utah Valley for the tournament title.