Box Score 

NEWARK, NJ – Jackie Nicholas had a goal and an assist in the second half, leading Wagner to a 3-1 victory over the NJIT women's soccer team at Lubetkin Field at Mal Simon Stadium Sunday afternoon.
 
Wagner improved to 3-4 overall with the victory, while the Highlanders dropped to 2-5-1 overall with the setback.
 
Wagner drew first blood in the 29^th minute, when Danielle Davis took the ball from the left side to the middle, then dropped a pass to Sydney McCarthy, who maneuvered her way through three NJIT defenders. McCarthy then hit a low shot from 10 yards out that sailed past Highlander freshman goalkeeper Samantha Bersett for a 1-0 lead. It was McCarthy's second goal of the season.
 
The Highlanders, who amassed 18 shots and 10 corner kicks, yet managed only one goal, had a great chance to tie the match before halftime, when senior midfielder Erin Morris' corner kick was placed perfectly to the far post, but sophomore Grace Seely's chip shot sailed wide.
 
Wagner then pushed the lead to 2-0 in the second half, when Nicholas found the goal with a header off a rebound shot. It was Nicholas' fourth goal of the season for the Seahawks.
 
The Highlanders then sliced the lead in half, when sophomore forward Megan Dellavalle scored her first goal of the season in the 81^st minute. Dellavalle took a pass from freshman midfielder Madeline Griep off a corner kick and headed it home, rising high above the defense.
 
But the Seahawks put the game away in the 86^th minute, when Julie Vigliotti converted on a fine give-and-go with Nicholas, giving Vigliotti her fifth goal of the season and sealing the deal.
 
NJIT head coach Sergio Gonzalez was not pleased with the outcome.
 
“It's disappointing, especially when you have 10 corner kicks, 18 shots and you come away with just one goal,” Gonzalez said. “We have to do a better job of being productive in the box. We scored one goal off a corner, but we needed to get a goal or two more. I'm disappointed that we're not getting a better chance of converting our chances.”
 
Gonzalez knows that one loss doesn't make a season.
 
“Today wasn't a step back,” Gonzalez said. “It's just the kind of game that we'll want later on. We're a young team and we're going to have days like this. We just have to know what we need to do to get better and be ready for FDU Friday night (at 4:30 p.m.) I'm a little disappointed we conceded three goals. We've been better than that. We'll learn from this and move on.”
Gonzalez was asked if it was hard for his team to play double overtime on Friday (in a 0-0 tie with Quinnipiac) and then come back and play again less than 48 hours later.
 
“It's tough,” Gonzalez said. “I think our preseason fitness has helped us. But it's not an excuse. We just have to find a way to come out with good energy all the time. I thought we had it in the first half, but it dipped in the second half and it showed.”

Write up courtesy James Hague