Box Score
 
PHILADELPHIA– Senior goalkeeper Lars Maalen-Johansen made four saves to collect the shutout and freshman midfielder Joshua Mercer scored the first goal of his collegiate career, lifting the NJIT men's soccer team to a huge 2-0 win over Saint Joseph's University Monday night.
 
The victory enabled the Highlanders to improve to 2-0 on the young season, but it also enabled the program to gain a victory over an Atlantic 10 opponent. The Hawks dropped to 1-1.

The two wins in the opening two games is a first for NJIT since it began Division I competition in 2004. Indeed, NJIT's last 2-0 start came in 1981, when the Highlanders, then an NCAA Division III program, were led by Mal Simon, who was in the 26th year of a 28-year coaching career at NCE/NJIT that included the 1960 NAIA National Championship.

The last time NJIT was unbeaten through two contests was 1987, when the Efrain Borja-coached squad won its opener and tied its second contest.
 
The Highlanders broke a scoreless tie in the 31st minute Monday night, when sophomore forward Cristian Marcel made a sensational move.
 
“He dribbled the ball about 30 yards right into the box and then hit a great shot into the left corner of the net,” NJIT head coach Cesar Markovic said. “It was a great goal.”
 
The Highlanders took the 1-0 lead into the intermission.
 
NJIT then increased the lead in the opening stages of the second half.  In the 54th minute, Mercer collected his goal on a fine play, with a shot that made its way into the goal. It was the third goal already tallied by this impressive freshman class this season.
 
“We thought we brought in a good freshman class and I'm really happy with the play of the freshmen,” Markovic said. “This is a great win. We're really pleased and excited. We play a very mature game, a smart game. We defended really well and countered well. We created scoring chances. We definitely deserved to win.”
 
Markovic was happy with the play of his senior net minder, who kept the Hawks off the scoreboard with two solid second half saves.
 
“He was very solid in goal,” Markovic said of Maalen-Johansen. “He came up big. He had a very solid game.”
 
The Highlanders stopped a tough flurry in the 82nd minute, when the Hawks attempted three shots, but all three were blocked by the backline before they got to Maalen-Johansen.
 
“It's not a bad way to start,” Markovic said of the 2-0 start. “We have a big game Saturday and we have to come back strong.”
 
The Highlanders will face cross-state rival Fairleigh Dickinson on Lubetkin Field at Mal Simon Stadium in Newark on Saturday night, with game time slated for 7pm.

Write-up courtesy James Hague