Box Score 

NEWARK, NJ – Freshmen Jason Gonzalez and Matthew Praino each scored their first collegiate goal, leading the NJIT men's soccer team to a 3-0 victory over the Virginia Military Institute in the season opener for both teams on Lubetkin Field at Mal Simon Stadium Friday night.
 
Gonzalez scored his goal in the 18th minute of the first half, while Praino added his tally in the 86th minute in the second half.
 
Sophomore defender Marko Drljic scored a goal in the 89th minute, giving him a goal and an assist in the Highlanders' victory. Drljic scored his goal on a header.
 
The Highlanders controlled most of the play in the first half and had the most of the chances over the first 45 minutes.
 
In the eighth minute, freshman defender Falk Siegel's header was gathered by VMI goalkeeper Taylor Feuerstein. Six minutes later, freshman forward Gonzalez's hard shot was kicked aside by Feuerstein.
 
“We need to be more efficient with our chances,” NJIT head coach Cesar Markovic said. “We had a lot of opportunities early.”
 
The Highlanders finally broke through in the 18th minute, when Gonzalez took a pass from senior forward Franco Gamero for the first goal of the match. It was the first collegiate goal for Gonzalez.
 
The Highlanders had another golden opportunity to score in the 31st minute, but sophomore forward Cristian Marcel's shot from 20 yards out sailed over the crossbar.
 
The Keydets had a good chance in the 40th minute, when Matt Seinfeld's header was smothered by Highlanders goalkeeper Lars Maalen-Johansen. The senior Maalen-Johansen had two saves at halftime. 
 
The Highlanders could have led by more than one goal at intermission.  “We created a lot of chances, but didn't score,” Markovic said.
 
NJIT had two good chances in the second half, when freshman midfielder Enrique Hildago's shot was stopped by Feuerstein in the 52nd minute and freshman forward Tommy Osipitan's header, off a high leap above several defenders, was stopped by a diving Feuerstein in the 61st minute.
 
VMI had its best chance to score in the 81st minute, when Seinfeld's left-footed blast was caught by Maalen-Johansen. On the ensuing play, VMI's David Rochow had two shots, one stopped by Maalen-Johansen and the other deflected.
 
Siegel had a fine overall defensive game for the Highlanders from his defender position.
 
With five minutes remaining, the Highlanders found the net once again, as freshman Praino broke behind the Keydets' backline and pushed home a goal off a feed from sophomore defender Drljic, giving NJIT a comfortable 2-0 lead in the waning minutes.
 
Drljic capped the scoring with less than two minutes remaining in regulation.
 
“Overall, it was a good win,” Markovic said. “We had two freshmen score, so we have to be happy about the future. We got a shutout. It was important to start off 1-0. That's the best thing you can ask for.”
 
The Highlanders play St. Joseph's of Philadelphia on the road Monday night and return home to face FDU on Saturday, Sept.  1.

Write-up Courtesy James Hague