Box score
LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ—Rider scored twice in the middle of the first half and added another goal late before NJIT finally got on the board and the Broncs posted a 3-1 non-conference men's soccer win over the visiting Highlanders Saturday afternoon.
Rider (1-6) got things going at 21:12, when sophomore Ryan Fitzgerald scored his first collegiate goal, assisted by Andrew Coates. The goal was actually intended as cross, but angled into the net.
The Broncs, who had been scoreless in their previous four games, made it 2-0 less than five minutes after the first goal, as Sam Kotowski scored, unassisted, on a rebound in the 26th minute.
That was all the scoring until 5:03 remained in the contest, when Dan Friga notched his first goal of the year for Rider, converting a through pass from Joshua Wright.
NJIT avoided the shutout on Saturday when Rahim Stennett knocked home his first goal of the year on a loose ball at 87:39. The goal was the first of the year for the junior Stennett, who scored six times to lead the 2009 Highlanders.
The final score was not reflected in the other offensive statistics for the game. Rider, which won on the scoreboard, 3-1, was decisively outshot in each half.
In the first half, after which Rider led, 2-0, the shots favored NJIT, 8-4. And in the second half, the shots were 10-3 for the Highlanders for a match total of 18-7. The shots on goal were 9-4 in favor of NJIT, but three of Rider's four on-target shots went into the net.
The corner kicks also favored the Highlanders, 6-2.
Rider's sophomore captain Matt Perrella made eight saves to earn the win in goal. NJIT freshman goalkeeper John Ricketti was credited with one save.
“We created a lot of chances and did not hit the target,” said NJIT coach Pedro Lopes. “The first (Rider) goal was a bit of a fluke, a cross that hit the post and went in, and then we got caught in transition on the counter and went down, 2-0.
“It was a frustrating day, attacking-wise. We kept the ball well and created plenty of chances but we did not convert. On the third goal, we were pushing forward trying to get the goal that would bring us within one, but we got caught on another counter before we finally were able to score ourselves.”
NJIT (2-5) is back in action on Tuesday at 7 pm, when it hosts Lafayette on Lubetkin Field at J. Malcolm Simon Stadium. The Leopards (3-2-2) are ranked third in the latest NSCAA/Hendrickcars.com Division I Mid-Atlantic Region rankings.
Lafayette defeated NJIT, 2-1, when the teams played last season in Easton, PA, on September 4, 2009.
