Box Score

BLACKSBURG, VA– Freshman midfielder Joshua Mercer returned to the lineup after missing three matches due to injury and scored a goal in his return, but it wasn't enough, as the NJIT men's soccer team dropped a tough 2-1 decision to Virginia Tech Friday night.
 
The loss dropped the Highlanders to 7-6 overall, while the Hokies improved to 5-5-1.
 
After NJIT senior goalkeeper Lars Maalen-Johansen made two fine saves in the opening 12 minutes, the Hokies scored first in the 15th minute, when Hunter Jecius scored his first goal of the season on a header off a corner kick from Ben Strong.
 
“We took a very bad goal off a set piece,” NJIT head coach Cesar Markovic said. “We didn't come here as an underdog on a sight-seeing trip. We came here to get a good result and we didn't get it done.”
 
The Highlanders recovered after the early goal.
 
“I thought we had a very good first half,” Markovic said. “We then came back and tied the game.”
 
Virginia Tech held the 1-0 advantage into halftime, but then the Highlanders tied the match in the 50th minute, when Mercer fired a shot that ricocheted off the right post and into the goal. It was Mercer's second collegiate goal. Sophomore defender Marko Drljic, who just missed scoring a goal seconds earlier when his hard shot clanked off the post, earned the assist on the play and the match was tied.
 
“We had a chance to take the lead, but then after that, we just didn't play good soccer,” Markovic said. “Maybe I thought we had been attacking and that we were going to get the result. But we just didn't.”
 
The Hokies scored the game-winning goal in the 59th minute, when Connor Pompilio scored his second goal of the season, moving in on Maalen-Johansen's left side and sliding the shot just inside the post.
 
NJIT had upset Virginia Tech in Newark last season, but no such luck this time around.
 
“They're a much better team this year,” Markovic said. “When you play home or away, it's a world of difference. We had been playing such good soccer and we showed flashes of it today, but we didn't play our best.”
If there was one consolation, it was the return of Mercer, who was one of the more solid Highlander performers before his injury against St. Peter's a few weeks ago.
 
“When he got hurt, I thought he might be out completely for the season,” Markovic said. “But he came back and played well. Josh is an opportunistic player. He gets a chance to come back and scores an important goal.”
 
The Highlanders return to action Tuesday night, when they play host to Seton Hall, with game time at Lubetkin Field at Mal Simon Stadium set for 7 p.m.
 
“It's always great to be home,” said Markovic, whose team has not had a home match since Sept. 18. “We've proven on the road that we can play with anyone, but it's still good to be home.”
 
Write-up courtesy James Hague