Box Score

SANTA CLARA, CA – Erik Hurtado scored a goal in each half, leading Santa Clara to a 2-0 win over the NJIT men's soccer team Friday afternoon as part of the Santa Clara/San Jose State tournament.
 
The loss drops the Highlanders back to the .500 mark at 5-5, while Santa Clara improves to 3-4 overall.
 
Santa Clara got on the scoreboard early, with Hurtado finding the net in the fifth minute. Hurtado took a pass from Carlos Montes and knocked it past NJIT senior goalkeeper Lars Maalen-Johansen for the first goal of the game.
 
“We gave up that early goal on a set piece and our backs were against the wall right away,” NJIT head men's soccer coach Cesar Markovic said. “We struggled a little early to get our legs. Maybe it was the long flight out here, but we struggled and gave them an early goal.”
 
However, from that point, the Highlanders started to play better. They had a chance in the 21^st minute off sophomore defender Marko Drljic's corner kick, but senior forward Franco Gamero shot it wide of the goal.
 
In the 44^th minute, the Highlanders had another scoring opportunity, but sophomore midfielder Matija Blazic's shot also sailed wide, enabling Santa Clara to hold a 1-0 lead at the half.
 
Santa Clara held an 8-3 advantage in shots in the first half.
 
“But I thought in the second half, we began to play very well,” Markovic said.
 
“We had a lot of the action and it was a shame that we ultimately could not get a goal.”
 
In the 53^rd minute, Gamero had a chance to get the equalizer, but Santa Clara goalie Larry Jackson made a nice save. It would turn out to be the only shot on goal the Highlanders would record.
 
Hurtado then put the game away in the 70^th minute with his second goal, also assisted by Montes.
 
“We made a mistake with the ball in the second goal and that killed us,” Markovic said. “That's a very good program we played and we hung tough with them. We're growing more and more each day. These are the types of games that are going to make us better. I think not getting off to a good start hurt us.”
 
Maalen-Johansen recorded two saves for the Highlanders. Markovic said that Drljic played well, as did his freshman defenders Jimmy Myers and Falk Siegel.
 
“Sophomore, freshman, freshman,” Markovic said. “That says a lot for our future.”
 
The Highlanders return to action Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. Pacific time (4 p.m. locally) against San Jose State.

Write up courtesy James Hague