Box Score

NEWARK, NJ—NJIT men's soccer got a goal in each half to go with its fourth shutout in a 2-0 win for the Highlanders, who toppled visiting UMass Lowell Wednesday night on Lubetkin Field at Mal Simon Stadium.
 
The win got the Highlanders (5-7-1) out of an 0-2-1 three-game rut, with two shutout losses, including 2-0 at the hands of St. Francis Brooklyn last weekend in their previous game.
 
UMass Lowell, in its first season of NCAA Division I competition, falls to 2-10.
 
The River Hawks, in Division II before this year, finished 2012 with a 15-6-1 record and ranked 17th in the final NSCAA national Division II poll after advancing to the East Region championship game last November.
 
On Wednesday night, junior Marko Drljic scored his team-leading fifth goal of the year for NJIT, assisted by Eugene Listwan in the ninth minute, and junior Jason Chippy added an insurance tally with his first goal of the season, assisted by Jason Gonzalez at 67:04.
 
Alexander Czempik, making his first start in goal for NJIT since exiting at halftime on September 11 at Fairleigh Dickinson, was strong, recording 6 saves for his second shutout and the team's fourth clean sheet of the year.
 
The UML keeper, senior Chris Maierle, made one save against NJIT.
 
The overall shots were close, with the visitors holding a slim 14-13 advantage, but a 6-3 edge in shots-on-goal. The corner kicks stood at 5-4 for UMass Lowell.
 
Having taken its first home defeat of 2013 the last time out vs. St. Francis Brooklyn last weekend, NJIT entered Wednesday night's tilt aiming to get back on track—and it happened quickly.
 
Playing the ball just outside the top of the penalty area in the ninth minute, Eugene Listwan sent a short ground pass left to Marko Drljic, who drifted left some more, looking to create an opening.
 
Drljic saw his chance and launched an 18-yard left-footed, ankle-high shot inside the left post beyond the sprawling River Hawk goalkeeper Maierle, who backstopped his team's run to the 2102 NCAA Division II East Region final.
 
"We came out with a purpose and got the early goal we really needed," said NJIT coach Didier Orellana, whose team is 3-1-1 on friendly turf with one home contest left on the schedule. "After that, we lost our purpose for awhile, but then got it back late in the first half and carried that into the second half. Overall, we did a good job keeping the game under control."
 
There were six excellent chances—three for each team—ahead of Chippy's insurance score for the Highlanders early in the 68th minute.
 
The first two went to the visitors, down a goal in the first half, on a hard header by Alex Sindoni straight at Czempik in the 17th minute and later on a 25-yard Wuilito Fernandes free kick that went just over the crossbar.
 
Chippy took a hard 15-yarder that was stopped by Maierle just before halftime to keep the margin at one goal. And the Highlanders kept up the pressure early in the second half, as Matija Blazic, aiming for the near post, struck an open shot that hit the left side of the net in the 50th minute and Chippy missed wide right from in front two minutes later off a cross from the left corner by Trevor Nye.
 
Still holding the slim 1-0 lead, Czempik denied Fernandez, the dangerous freshman from Cape Verde in the 59th minute.
 
Having missed chances before and after halftime, Chippy got his first goal of 2013 with a determined effort midway through the second half. Gonzalez triggered the play for NJIT with a pass ahead in the box to Chippy, who fended off a defender while still pushing forward, beating Maierle from the left of the penalty spot.
 
That goal proved especially helpful when Czempik was forced to make the save of the night four minutes after Chippy made it 2-0. Fernandes received an on-side pass in the penalty area and got off a quick clean shot from 15 yards that a leaping Czempik tipped over the crossbar.
 
"Alex (Czempik) was solid for us," said Orellana of the newcomer from Germany who started the first five games, including a terrific effort in a 2-1 season-opening loss to nationally-ranked St. John's, but who gave way at FDU and sat seven full games before coming on as a halftime sub vs. St. Francis. "He controlled the back and managed the game very well, which is what we have been looking for."
 
The Highlanders, with three of their final four contests away from home, next make a short trip to nearby South Orange, NJ for a game at Seton Hall next Wednesday at 7 pm.