NEWARK, NJ—Sophomore Piper Lunan scored NJIT's first goal and assisted on the second, a tally by Christi Taylor, in the Highlanders' 2-1 win over visiting South Carolina State in the Great West Conference women's soccer opener for both teams Friday night on Lubetkin Field at J. Malcolm Simon Stadium.

NJIT, now 4-5-1 overall and 1-0 in the Great West Conference Eastern Division, scored once in each half and built a 2-0 lead before the Lady Bulldogs got a goal back from Sasha Bender with 19:18 remaining.

South Carolina State, which came in riding a four-game winning streak and had won five of its previous six, dropped to 6-5 overall and 0-1 in the Great West's Eastern Division.

All of the goals were scored after South Carolina State's Janine Francois was red carded for a hard foul tackle to the back of the legs that sent NJIT's Gechi Ukaegbu to the bench with an injury exactly 26 minutes into the match, leaving the Lady Bulldogs down a player for the last 64 minutes.

Ukaegbu, who stayed on the turf in pain for several minutes, needed help to get off the field, but was able to return as a substitute late in the second half after receiving treatment from trainer Matt Koscs.

The game featured a matchup of two of the best goalkeepers in the Great West Conference in Sadie Mele of NJIT (four saves) and Alechia Brothers of South Carolina State (five saves) and both made some big stops.

The first came in the sixth minute when NJIT's Mele denied an open, hard shot from the visitors' Dani Benton.

Less than three minutes after South Carolina State was reduced to 10 players, Lunan burned the Lady Bulldogs when she intercepted a clearing attempt just 10 yards from the goal and tucked a shot under the reach of a diving Brothers to give NJIT a 1-0 lead in the 29th minute.

The Highlanders, who had a lot of open space in the attacking third throughout the second half, added to their lead at 51:11. Lunan, front of the goal, passed back to an open Taylor, who fired from straight on and about 16 yards out, sending a hard shoulder-high shot that grazed a defender and kept on into the goal.

NJIT continued to press its advantage but could not manage another goal despite some good shots. Amanda Dotten took a hard shot from 17 yards that Brothers saved and the SCSU keeper also made the save of the game on a shot by Mariam Bestawros in the 63rd minute.

Three minutes later, Taylor got off a shot that was nearly identical to her goal, but a Lady Bulldog defender got a piece of it and it sailed just over the crossbar for a Highlander corner kick.

South Carolina State's goal came when Bender avoided an offsides whistle and broke in ahead of the defense. Mele came out and threw herself at Bender's feet, but the Lady Bulldog got off the shot from 20 yards and it rolled over the goal line with both players watching on the floor from the point of the shot.

Mele was whistled for a foul and received a yellow card on the play at 70:42. Cassie Rodriguez, who made the pass ahead, picked up the assist for South Carolina State.

Friday's game completes a stretch that has seen NJIT play seven of its last seven matches at home. The Highlanders will play their next two, both Great West Conference Eastern Division tilts, on the road in the week ahead.

Next up is a visit to Washington, DC, and Howard for a 1 pm contest on Sunday. And the Highlanders and Lady Bulldogs will have a quick rematch in Orangeburg, SC, next Friday at 7 pm.