Box Score


NEWARK, NJ—Franco Gamero's team-leading fourth goal, scored at 28:59, proved to be the game-winner for NJIT, which defeated visiting Virginia Tech, 2-1, in non-conference men's soccer Saturday night on Lubetkin Field at J. Malcolm Simon Stadium.
 
Gamero's winner came just 11 seconds after Virginia Tech's Robert Alberti had tied the score at one apiece on a penalty kick. The winning goal by Gamero was a header, assisted by Emeka Nwachukwu and Nathan D'Aversa.
 
The Highlanders took the early lead, getting on the scoreboard at 3:15 on a 15-yard blast from Luis Granizo. Kwesi Alleyne was credited with an assist on the play.
 
NJIT goalkeeper Lars Maalen-Johansen, who had a strong game, particularly using his 6-foot-6, 215-pound frame to control the air space in front of his goal, made three saves to record the win, his second in as many starts since returning from a knee injury that had kept him out of five straight games.
 
The Virginia Tech goalkeeper, Kyle Renfro, was credited with three saves.
 
The Highlanders had a 13-10 advantage in total shots and the shots on goal were even at five apiece, but NJIT was the more dangerous team for most of the night, especially in the first half.
 
The win lifted NJIT to 3-7-2 and extended the team's unbeaten home streak to four games (two scoreless ties, followed by a pair of 2-1 wins). Virginia Tech is a deceptive 3-8, with a 1-0 overtime win over then top-ranked North Carolina on September 10 and three losses since to nationally-ranked teams, including one in overtime.
 
Saturday's victory was the first for NJIT in any sport against a team from the powerful Atlantic Coast Conference and it took place in the program's first home contest against an ACC team in front of a season-high crowd of 895.
 
The Highlanders did in 3:15 what North Carolina couldn't do in 110 minutes against the Hokies--score a goal.
 
The quick tally was the by-product of consistent early pressure. NJIT had the ball in the visitors' goal area and Alleyne laid a back-pass Granizo, who took one step to the ball and rocketed it into the goal, shoulder-high, from 15 yards out for his second goal of the year.
 
Matija Blazic nearly made it 2-0 for the Highlanders in the 11th minute, beating a defender at the top of the box and striking a hard shot that forced a diving save from Virginia Tech's Renfro. Blazic was unfortunate five minutes later, hitting the crossbar on a header in the 15th minute and then Gamero's follow-up on the rebound was saved by a defender.
 
Virginia Tech had a chance in the 25th minute, as Michael Garrick broke free about 25 yards from goal, but Maalen-Johansen came out to smother the shot near the top of the box.
 
The Hokies equalized the penalty kick at 28:48 by Alberti, his second marker of the year. The penalty was awarded after Virginia Tech made a steal at midfield and Ben Strong went the other way with the ball on a long run down right wing. When Strong toward goal and into the penalty area, he was fouled just inside the box about five yards from the line.
 
The tie would be extremely short-lived—11 seconds to be exact—as NJIT's Gamero scored on a header from in front on passes from D'Aversa and Nwachukwu. D'Aversa made the first pass out of midfield to Nwachukwu near the top of the box. Nwachukwu then served perfectly to the unmarked Gamero, who headed the ball home from eight yards away.
 
The Highlanders kept up the pressure and Christian Galindo hit the crossbar on a free kick from 20 yards out in the 42nd minute.
 
The first-half shot totals showed the Highlanders with an 11-7 advantage that included the two goals, the two crossbars and three more on-target shots that led to Renfro saves. NJIT's Maalen-Johansen made three saves of his own.
 
There was less end-to-end action in the second half, as the Highlanders were careful to keep their defensive position and Virginia Tech's offense was more probing than piercing.
 
The last 15 minutes were suspenseful, however, as the Hokies pushed all 10 field players into the offensive half of the field whenever they had the ball. Even so, their first dangerous chance of the half did not come until nearly 87 minutes were in the book. Garrick, who was well-marked on the play, managed a hard shot from 10 yards, but it was right at the well-positioned Maalen-Johansen, who handled it easily.
 
“The guys played inspired,” said NJIT coach Cesar Markovic after the most impressive win to date in his first year guiding the Highlanders. “I don't feel it's an isolated game. We're playing better and better at home (unbeaten in the last four matches) and making this a hard place for a visitor to come and play. That's the first step to building the program to the way we want it. We're going on the field with a purpose.”
 
Markovic was pleased with his team's response after Virginia Tech tied the score. “The 'old' NJIT, which includes the way we were earlier in the season, takes a goal and puts their heads down,” said Markovic. “'This' NJIT takes a punch and comes back swinging.”
 
Virginia Tech did not operate freely against the Highlanders and Markovic singled out the play of freshman Anthony Escamilla, who has played in all 12 games, but made his first start against the Hokies. Said the coach: “Anthony had an amazing game, closing down so many things in midfield.”
 
The Highlanders will be back home for their next game, the Atlantic Soccer Conference opener on Tuesday at 7 pm, when they host Longwood on Lubetkin Field at J. Malcolm Simon Stadium.