Box Score CHARLESTON, SC – The Citadel sent NJIT to its second 2-1 women's soccer defeat in three days, topping the visiting Highlanders on Sunday afternoon on the second day's play of the Nike Tournament.
The Highlanders (1-3) fell across town by the same score as Sunday at tournament co-host Charleston Southern late Friday afternoon.
The Citadel, which defeated visiting South Carolina State 3-2 on Friday's opening day of the tournament, is 3-1 after topping NJIT.
The Citadel opened the scoring in the 29th minute and played with a lead the rest of the day. The Bulldogs added insurance late in the first half on a goal 43:27 and NJIT did not get on the board until sophomore
Carly Berdan's score 95 seconds ahead of the final whistle. Berdan has accounted for two of NJIT's three goals scored through the first four game.
Lea Raedle opened the scoring for the home team, knocking home a pass from Vanessa Aponte at 28:25.
Karina Schneider made it 2-0, scoring on a header at the far post off of a corner kick at 43:27, with Carolina Cashion picking up the assist.
The total shots favored the home team for the game, 18-9, although it was 8-5, NJIT, after The Citadel dominated the first-half shots, 13-1.
Naomi Carter finished with four saves in going the distance to win in goal for The Citadel.
NJIT used two goalkeepers. Junior
Samantha Bersett started and made three saves, while conceding two in 45 minutes. Sophomore
Karen David, making her college debut (Bersett played every minute of 2013 and the first three matches of 2014), stopped two Bulldog shots over the second 45 minutes Sunday. In the 63rd minute, she made a fantastic save, jumping over a crowd of players during a corner kick.
With NJIT trailing on Sunday, 1-0, Berdan had a great opportunity in the 35th minute when she ripped a shot from outside the 18 yard box at the Bulldog keeper, Carter, who punched the ball away from trouble.
Corner kicks have been problematic for the NJIT on defense early in the 2014 season and a header off of a corner proved be the difference again on Sunday.
The Highlanders have allowed one goal off of corners in each of the last three games, all one-goal losses.
The only goal for either side in last Sunday's 1-0 home loss to Hartford was on a rebound that came before NJIT could clear the ball after a corner kick. And the golden goal in Friday's 2-1 overtime loss at Charleston Southern was a header off of a corner. Schneider's header in the 44th minute for the Citadel gave her team a 2-0 lead, which proved crucial when Berdan got back a late goal for the Highlanders.
Dana Schules, who later assisted on the NJIT goal, created the first good chance of the second half for the Highlanders. In the 49th minute, the sophomore served a ball from the right side into the area to senior
Grace Seely, whose diving header missed over the cross bar.
Schules, who also passed to Berdan for her first-half try that forced Carter's big save for the Bulldogs, assisted Berdan's goal with a through ball that freed Berdan past the Bulldog defenders before she sent the shot into the net at 88:25.
NJIT senior
Rebecca Tustin's bid for a tying goal missed wide 33 seconds after Berdan had put the Highlanders on the board.
The Highlanders' next game is home is Thursday at 7pm against Monmouth, a formidable foe. The Hawks, who blanked the Highlanders 3-0 last September 5 in West Long Branch went on to finish 17-2-2 and sweep the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference championship, which was good for a spot in the 2013 NCAA Women's College Cup.
Monmouth is 1-2 in the young season, having opened with a 3-2 loss at Delaware before edging American 1-0 and losing to Bucknell, 2-0. The Hawks will visit Seton Hall on Labor Day evening before coming back to Newark to face NJIT on Thursday.
