Box Score
 
OREM, UT – Freshman goalkeeper Samantha Bersett set a new personal single-game high with 15 saves, but it wasn't enough, as the NJIT women's soccer team dropped a tough 2-0 decision to Utah Valley Friday night.

Bersett's 15 saves ties the NJIT Division I school-record for saves in a match set in 2006 by Highlander Bruna Lotufo.  Lotufo combined for 15 saves against IPFW on August 31, 2006.
 
The loss dropped the Highlanders' overall record to 2-9-3 and fell to 0-1 in Great West Conference play. Utah Valley improved to 3-10 overall and captured a win in their seasonal Great West debut.
 
The Highlanders managed to remain even with the Wolverines throughout a scoreless first half, but fell behind in the early stages of the second half.
 
In the 57th minute, Nicole Slater scored her first goal of the season, after Bersett was able to punch out a crossing attempt from the goal. Slater was able to knock home the rebound of the Bersett stop from eight yards out and a 1-0 Wolverine lead.
 
Seven minutes later, Regan Benson scored her sixth goal of the season, off a fine feed from Kim Stratford, placing the ball to a spot where Bersett couldn't stop it.
The Highlanders were outshot, 34-7, and Lauren Sack had to make only one save to record the shutout.
 
“I thought the shot totals were a little misleading,” NJIT head coach Sergio Gonzalez said. “The bottom line is that we weren't disciplined enough to follow our game plan. I thought our decision-making was OK and we had opportunities, but we allowed them to open the game too much. We tried to take people on too much. We don't want it to become a track meet. When you allow a team like Utah Valley to have open space, they're dangerous. We gave them too much space.”
 
The Highlanders come back home to New Jersey and will play host to Columbia Sunday night at Lubetkin Field at Mal Simon Stadium, with game time slated for 7 p.m.
 
Write-up courtesy James Hague