NEWARK, NJ—Fernando Huthmacher scored once in each half, leading visiting Fairleigh Dickinson to a 2-1 win over NJIT in men's soccer Saturday night on Lubetkin Field at J. Malcolm Simon Stadium.

Huthmacher, who collected his first two scores of the season, provided the only goal of the first half at 28:38 on assists from Serge Zulu and Cristian Vasconez. He later delivered what proved to be the game-winner on an assist from Paul King at 59:30, just 2:26 after NJIT had tied the score at one goal apiece.

The Highlander tally was a header by Rahim Stennett, who scored his team-leading fifth goal of the season by finishing a free kick from Gustav Warfving at 57:04.

Sophomore Juho Illi was a strong presence in goal for FDU (3-4), making four saves and breaking up a number of high service attempts by the Highlanders. For NJIT, senior keeper Ryan Sutherland had three saves.

The total shots were close—14-11 in favor of NJIT and each squad was credited with five shots on goal and five corner kicks.

The match before FDU's first goal was largely uneventful with a lot of the play taking place a safe distance from either team's net. Indeed, Huthmacher's first goal was just the third shot of the match and the second by FDU.

The Knight goal, which featured two quick changes of direction across the goal mouth was set up by Vasconez, who beat his defender at the top of the box and pushed the ball down the right side toward the end line, sending a cross to Zulu, who centered it from outside the left post on one touch to Huthmacher, who was open in front and tucked the ball away from close range.

“We ball watched on the first goal,” said NJIT coach Pedro Lopes. “When the ball changes direction like that, you have to stay close to your man because you have to protect against that kind of thing happening.”

Having managed just three first-half shots, none of which were on goal, NJIT picked up its attack in the second half, due in part to a halftime adjustment by Lopes. “We went to a traditional second forward and we did a better job,” said the coach.

The Highlanders nearly tied the contest in the 53rd minute on their best chance to that point. Freshman Pete Walker found himself on a breakaway after coming free with the ball after a three-man pileup about 30 yards from the FDU goal. He carried forward toward the center of the field and got off a powerful shot from about 12 yards away, but the blast went off the crossbar and over the roof of the goal.

Nathan D'Aversa and Osvaldo Perez each got off shots that FDU's Illi saved before the Highlanders finally got on the board.

NJIT was awarded a free kick and Warfving teed it up around 30 yards away and about where the right hash mark would be on an American football field. Warfving's high kick went to Stennett, who once again displayed his strength in the air and headed it in for the tying goal at 57:04.

As had happened earlier a couple of their three previous 2-1 losses, the Highlanders failed to maintain much momentum after drawing even and FDU reclaimed the lead just 2:26 after NJIT had tied.

This time it was Huthmacher who scored on a header. King, who had a strong attacking game, took the ball into the right corner and sent a pass that was similar in trajectory to a corner kick.

Huthmacher, in front of the goal, took advantage of apparent confusion between Sutherland and his defense as to who would play the high ball, went up and nodded home the head shot that put the Knights ahead to stay.

NJIT's best chance to tie was foiled on a fine deflection by Illi of a hard shot by Highlander captain Scott Rietze, who came forward from his fullback position to launch a hard and true blast that Illi tipped over the top of the goal.

Lopes insert four subs in the last 11 minutes, but the fresh legs did little good, as the Highlanders did not get another shot and FDU beat them to nearly every ball in the last three or four minutes.

“I thought we played well for the most part,” said Lopes. “We have been working in practice on concentrating in the box (on defense), to be in position and to clear balls. But it didn't translate in the game and we didn't do those things well and FDU did a good job of converting the chances we gave them.”

NJIT, now 2-7, will visit Iona in New Rochelle, NY, on Wednesday at 3 pm.