Box Score
 
NEWARK, NJ – Freshman defender Jimmy Myers scored the game-winning goal in the fourth minute of the second overtime, leading the NJIT men's soccer team to its third straight win, a 1-0 victory over neighboring Saint Peter's University Tuesday night at Lubetkin Field at Mal Simon Stadium.
 
The match was played in a driving rain storm, making the conditions tough for both teams.
 
The victory was the third straight for the Highlanders (5-4) and the second straight in overtime. The victory ties the NJIT Division I record for wins in a season since it began Division I competition in 2004  . They had five wins in 2011 and 2009. 

NJIT also tied the NJIT D1 record with the three-game winning streak.  Last season the Highlanders won three straight from October 7 to October 11.

 Saint Peter's drops to 2-5 overall.
 
“Getting to five wins and it's still September,” said NJIT head coach Cesar Markovic. “It was a big win for us to climb back over .500. Saint Peter's battled and they have a very special player (Noah Sadaoui). We were able to shut them down. They gave us a lot to think about. It's a good sign to show we can shut a good team down.”
 
The winning play came when sophomore defender Marko Drljic took a corner kick from the right side. It went into the box and a scramble ensued. Myers managed to get his head on the ball and pushed it into the net for his first collegiate goal.
 
“It was a set piece where we wanted to create a little mayhem,” Markovic said. “It left Jimmy free to put in the header.”
 
The game started on time in the rain and nine minutes were played when a heavy downpour suspended action for 27 minutes.
 
“We weren't sure if we were going to get the game in,” Markovic said. “We knew we had to score. Lucky for us, we held in their long enough to get the goal in the second overtime.”

In the 11th minute, Peacock forward Noah Sadaoui unleashed a wicked shot, but NJIT senior goalkeeper Lars Maalen-Johansen made a diving save. Maalen-Johansen finished the night with three saves to collect his third shutout of the season.
 
In the 17th minute, it appeared as if the Highlanders got the game's first goal, when junior midfielder Nils Warfving put it in the net. However, Warfving was called offside, negating the goal.
 
Highlander sophomore midfielder Matija Blazic hit a blistering shot in the 21st minute, but Peacock net minder Carlos Suarez made a spectacular save.
 
In the 31st minute, the Peacocks had two good chances. Marcel Maddee took a hard direct free kick that Maalen-Johansen saved. The rebound came outside and the cross in front to Jacob Robertson was on target, but Robertson's header sailed over the crossbar.
 
Highlander sophomore forward Cristian Marcel had a great chance in the 33rd minute, but Suarez came up big again, making a sliding save.

The match was scoreless at halftime.
 
The Highlanders had a great chance to score in the opening stages of the second half. Blazic took a corner kick that sailed into the box and was deflected by a defender toward the net. But an alert A.J. Johnson was standing on the goal line and was able to stop the ball from going into the net.
 
Two minutes later, Warfving had a solid shot that Suarez saved.

In the 71st minute, Highlander defender Christian Galindo had a good left-footed shot on a direct free kick from 35 yards out that Suarez caught.
 
The Highlanders had an excellent chance in the 83rd minute, when sophomore midfielder Anthony Escamillia fired a low shot from 18 yards out that skidded wide left of the goal.
 
Regulation time ended with no score, putting the match into overtime.
 
In the 97th minute, Sadaoui, who was all over the field all night, got a decent shot at goal, but Maalen-Johansen went to his knees to catch the shot.
 
The Highlanders had two good chances to score in the final minutes of the first overtime, both coming off the foot of Drljic.
 
Drljic had a direct free kick in the 98th minute that sailed over the crossbar. One minute later, Drljic hit a low blast from 25 yards out that Suarez stopped.
 
Markovic, who once coached at Saint Peter's and helped to turn that program around, said that he didn't have any special feelings beating his former team.
 
“It's been a while since I left,” Markovic said. “We played them last year and lost. This was like business as usual.”
 
The Highlanders now take to the road for their next four matches, including a trip to California this weekend to face Santa Clara and San Jose State Friday and Sunday. They return home on Tuesday, Oct. 9 when they play host to Seton Hall.
 
Write up courtesy James Hague