Box Score
 
NEWARK, NJ – Senior forward Gechi Ukaegbu broke a 1-1 tie in the 80th minute with her third goal of the season, lifting the NJIT women's soccer team to a huge 2-1 victory over cross-state rival Monmouth Sunday night at Lubetkin Field at Mal Simon Stadium.
 
The victory enabled the Highlanders (2-4) to snap a four-match losing streak, but more importantly, helped NJIT gain a ton of respect by defeating one of the premier women's soccer programs in New Jersey and the Northeast Conference.
 
“Monmouth has a tremendous program,” said NJIT second-year head coach Sergio Gonzalez. “They certainly had their chances. It was the kind of game where if you played it 10 times, you might get 10 different results. But this is tremendous for our program. It was a monumental moment, a tremendous win against a perennial powerhouse. I've been doing this (coaching) for quite a while and I told them that this was my proudest moment. They are willing to sacrifice to get better and better. I couldn't be prouder.”

The Highlanders scored the game-winning goal as the clock was winding down. With 10 minutes remaining in regulation, sophomore defender Jenny Cislo made a fine move and passed the ball ahead to Ukaegbu, who was motoring down the left side. Ukaegbu dribbled the ball into the penalty area and her shot eluded Monmouth net minder Jocelyn McCoy to the right side of the net for the game-winner. It was Ukaegbu's third goal of the young season.
 
The Highlanders then held off any late charges from the Hawks (1-4) to secure the win.
 
Monmouth had the best of the early chances. In the 19th minute, Claudia Vazquez hit a shot from the top of the box that sailed over the crossbar. In the 27th minute, Colleen Howard hit the crossbar with a shot that appeared headed for the goal.
The Highlanders then snapped the scoreless deadlock in the 32nd minute, when freshman midfielder Erin Williams-Weir was pulled down in the box, drawing a penalty kick. Williams-Weir converted on the penalty kick for her third goal of the season, giving the Highlanders a 1-0 lead.
 
NJIT held a 1-0 lead at intermission.
 
Monmouth had a golden opportunity to tie the match in the 63rd minute, but Dana Costello's shot from 15 yards out hit the crossbar.
 
The Hawks then managed to tie the game in the 66th minute, when Monique Goncalves secured a deflection and managed to hit a perfect shot that managed to get by NJIT freshman goalkeeper Samantha Bersett. Jennie Vartebedian was credited with an assist on the play. It was Goncalves' first goal of the season.
 
That set up Ukaegbu's heroic goal in the 80th minute.
 
Bersett made two saves in goal for the Highlanders, who received solid play from defenders Danielle Pierce, Emmy Hattle, Kaelyn Gamel  and Cislo. Pierce, Hattle and Gamel are freshmen, Cislo is a sophomore.
 
“I think we were at the crossroads a bit, having lost four in a row,” Gonzalez said. “So we gave them Saturday to themselves, to give them some time to recapture themselves a little. We all just stepped away and they came back with resounding energy and effort. Tonight showed what we're really capable of and what we can become. The atmosphere was tremendous with students and parents in the stands. I think they all did a great job. This gives us momentum going into our next match (Friday at home against Quinnipiac at 7 p.m.)
 
Added Gonzalez, “We have to take what we did tonight and continue to build on it. But this was a solid win.”

Write-up courtesy James Hague