Box Score
 
NEWARK, NJ– Evan Southworth scored on a header with 13 seconds remaining in regulation, giving Marist a 1-0 victory over NJIT Tuesday night at Lubetkin Field at Mal Simon Stadium.
 
The loss was the second straight heartbreaker for the Highlanders (2-2), who lost to FDU, 4-3, last Sunday night after surrendering a three-goal lead.
 
The Red Foxes (2-2) scored the game-winner on a play started with a direct free kick from approximately 35 yards out. Matty Berman placed the ball into the box, where Stefan Brossard corralled it. Brossard then made a touch pass to Southworth, who headed it home from 11 yards out for his first goal of the season.
 
It was a tough loss for NJIT head coach Cesar Markovic to handle.
 
“We had a lot of goal scoring chances, especially in the second half,” Markovic said. “We need to be able to put those away. We didn't play our best to begin the match and I think we leveled off after a while. We had several chances in the second half and didn't put any away. It's tough to try to win that way.”
 
The Highlanders had the first good chance to score. Just two minutes into the match, sophomore forward Cristian Marcel took the ball down the left sideline, then dropped it off to senior forward Franco Gamero.  Gamero had a great shot from just eight yards out, but it sailed over the crossbar.
 
In the 24^th minute, Brossard had a chance to give Marist the lead, but freshman goalkeeper Jason Scolaro, making his first collegiate start and his second appearance, came out to make the save on Brossard's blast.
 
“Scolaro did very well in his first start,” Markovic said of Scolaro, who got the start last night as senior Lars Maalen-Johansen was forced to sit it out after gaining an ejection in the loss to FDU Sunday, earning the one-game suspension. “He made some good saves.”
 
Scolaro made his debut in Sunday's loss to Marist, when he replaced Maalen-Johansen. Tuesday night, Scolaro made eight saves in goal.
 
Marist had the better of the opportunities to begin the second half, especially when Berman's shot from 25-yards out headed for the goal, but Scolaro made the save.
 
The Highlanders had a golden opportunity to find the net in the 63^rd minute, after senior defender Christian Galindo took a direct free kick from the left side. Galindo's bending attempt found freshman forward Tommy Osipitan, who headed the ball on goal, but Marist goalkeeper Anthony Sokalski made the save.
 
The Highlanders then had another chance in the 70^th minute, when Marcel made another fine play, passing the ball to sophomore defender Marco Drljic, who maneuvered through the middle of the field, spotting Gamero, who fired a shot from close range, but it sailed wide.
 
In the same possession, the Highlanders had another chance, but Galindo's attempt eluded the Red Foxes' defense and Galindo's shot was corralled by Sokalski, who made six saves to secure his shutout.
 
The game appeared to be headed to a scoreless tie in the rain, but Southworth's heroics spoiled that idea.
 
“It's a tough loss,” Markovic said. “There was no reason for us to lose. We're looking now to make sure it's not becoming a trend. We have to fight to get off the slide. I don't want us starting bad habits.”
Like losing.
 
“I think we played well in moments, but that's not enough,” Markovic said. “We have to do better.”
Markovic credited the play of Scolaro in goal, along with junior midfielder Nils Warfving and freshman defender Falk Siegel.
 
“Nils had a fantastic game and Falk was our best player,” Markovic said. “Once I knew we didn't put any away when we had a chance, I knew we were going to have to pay for it.”
 
The Highlanders return to action this weekend, when they play in the Mayor's Cup Tournament, facing Syracuse on Friday and Hartwick on Sunday. The match Friday is slated for 7:30 p.m. at Hartwick, while the Sunday contest against host Hartwick is scheduled for 3 p.m. Sunday.

Write-up courtesy James Hague