NEWARK, NJ—Sophomore Stephen McGeever's golden goal 2:27 into the first overtime period lifted NJIT to a 2-1come-from-behind win over visiting Georgia State in the first Sun Belt Conference men's soccer game for both teams.
 
NJIT, ranked 9th in the most recent weekly National Soccer Coaches Association of America Southeast Region Poll is 6-3-3 after defeating Georgia State, which was ranked 8th in the same poll and falls to 4-6 after the loss to the Highlanders.
 
The Atlanta-based Panthers managed the only first-half goal for either side on a 40-yard shot from senior Stephen McGill in the 42nd minute, but NJIT came back to equalize nearly 20 minutes into the second half on the first 2014 goal for sophomore Victor Kausch and then the home team won early in overtime when McGeever, too, scored his first goal of the year.
 
Senior Marko Drljic collected his team-leading fourth assist on Kausch's tying goal and classmate Cristian Marcel assisted on the game winner. McGill's guided-missile goal for Georgia State was unassisted.
 
The game was a landmark event for Highlanders men's soccer. This is the first year since 1995 that the Sun Belt Conference, a multi-sport conference, has sponsored a men's soccer championship.
 
Georgia State, a core member of the Sun Belt, and NJIT, an associate member for men's soccer only, are two of six teams vying for the Sun Belt crown, the winner of which earns an automatic spot in the NCAA Division I postseason field..
 
With the win over Georgia State, NJIT is 5-0-2 in its seven home games this season and the Highlanders had the upper hand in nearly every area but the score for most of the game. And they ended on top there thanks to McGeever's overtime goal.
 
NJIT outshot the visitors, 13-5, including 10-3 in shots on goal. Christian Foust made two saves and allowed one goal in victory for NJIT, while senior CJ Cochran stopped eight shots for the Panthers.
 
McGill scored for Georgia State against the run of play in the 42nd minute. The senior from Ireland noticed the NJIT keeper, Foust, had wandered out into the box and used the opportunity to send a 40-yard shot at the goal. Even with Foust out of position. McGill's long shot had to be perfect—and it was.
 
Foust, like a baseball outfielder who misreads a deep fly ball off the bat, lost a crucial beat before retreating and McGill's kick sailed above the 6-foot-3 Foust's head , but still low enough to squeeze under the crossbar and into the net.
 
McGill's long-range tally was just the second shot of the day for the Panthers, compared to six to the same point for the scoreless Highlanders.
 
NJIT was off the board in the opening half despite three excellent chances.  Drljic hit the left post in the 19th minute on a reverberating shot. On a similar looking play a minute later, Marcel's blast was saved by Georgia State's Cochran. And Jimmy Myers of the Highlanders got off an open shot in the 35th minute that Cochran turned away, as well.
 
Georgia State's first shot of the match was a blast from a difficult angle off the foot of Andy Anglade, saved by Foust in the 26th minute. Anglade's try and McGill's goal were the only two Panther shots in the opening half.
 
Kausch pulled NJIT level at 65:19 on a pretty assist by Drljic, who was in the middle of the box and sent a back-heel diagonal pass to Kausch, who finished from near the penalty spot.
 
Marcel, the two-time Sun Belt Conference Offensive Player of the Week for NJIT, was denied on a header 12 seconds from the end of regulation. Danny Cordeiro's high pass into the box in front of the goal from 30 yards away found Marcel, who got off a clean shot, but it was into Cochran's chest for a save.
 
McGeever's golden goal came on a 15-yard straight-on shot after he received a pass from Marcel, who was just outside the box when he fed McGeever for the winning goal.
 
The Highlanders will play outside the Sun Belt Conference for their next game, when they host Central Connecticut in a 7 pm game Wednesday on Lubetkin Field at Mal Simon Stadium.