Box Score
 
NEWARK, NJ – The NJIT women's soccer team opened their 2012 home schedule Friday night on Lubetkin Field at Mal Simon Stadium and played inspired soccer against a program that won 16 games and went to the NCAA Tournament last year.
 
But the Highlanders came up just a little short, falling 3-2, to drop to 1-2 on the young season. Marist improved to 2-0 overall.
 
“We're very young and gaining experience,” said NJIT head coach Sergio Gonzalez. “Sometimes, we're going to take our lumps. Marist is a tremendous team. At times, we looked very good and at times, we looked very young. But we played hard for 90 minutes. We went down a goal, came back, then went down two goals, came back. We were a little loose defensively, but we showed we could be dangerous on offense.”
 
The Red Foxes took the lead in the eighth minute on a fine play by Samantha Panzner.  Panzner maneuvered her way through two Highlander defenders, then recovered in time to take a hard right-footed shot that went to the right corner of the net past NJIT net minder Samantha Bersett, giving Marist the 1-0 lead.
 
The Highlanders then tied the game in the 15th minute. Senior forward Gechi Ukaegbu was pulled down in the penalty box, with the referee awarding the Highlanders a penalty shot.
 
Freshman midfielder Erin Williams-Weir then stepped to the 10-yard line and proceeded to go to the left of the goal, beating Marist goalie Andrea Wicks with the shot that tied the game at 1-1. It was Williams-Weir's second goal of the season.
 
The Highlanders played inspired defense. Freshman midfielder Marissa Borschke was outstanding on the defensive side, blocking one shot and clearing away two other potential scoring chances. Sophomore defender Jenny Cislo was solid making at least two blocks and senior midfielder Erin Morris was hustling all over the field.
 
The Red Foxes snapped the 1-1 tie in the 30th minute. Amanda Epstein led the Marist rush by bringing it up the middle of the field, then passed it to the right where Botta corralled the ball and fired it toward the goal. Bersett got a hand on the shot, but it trickled into the net for the game-winner.
 
The Highlanders had a good chance to score in the second half, when freshman forward Abi Fakolujo's header forced goalie Wicks to come out of the goal to make the save.

The Red Foxes pushed the lead to 3-1 with seven minutes left when Jackie Frey took a fine pass from Panzner and knocked it home.
 
But NJIT countered with a goal less than a minute later. Freshman Madeline Griep made an excellent play down the right flank and made a perfect pass to Ukaegbu, who booted it home for her second goal of the season, slicing the lead to 3-2.
 
The Highlanders could get no closer, but Gonzalez was encouraged by his young team's effort.
 
“Everyone on this team contributed,” Gonzalez said. “We train every day to allow us to stay with teams like Marist. I'm excited with what this team is capable of. I'm disappointed with the loss, but I'm excited about the potential we have.”
 
The Highlanders return to action Sunday at the University of Rhode Island, with game time slated for 1 p.m.

Write-up Courtesy James Hague