Box Score
 
NEWARK, NJ—Sophomore goalkeeper Karen David posted her first college shutout for NJIT and the Highlanders scored twice in the second half to defeat visiting Saint Peter's 2-0 in women's soccer Wednesday night on Lubetkin Field at Mal Simon Stadium.
 
David, who made her first college start in the previous game, a 1-0 home loss to Manhattan over the weekend, made four saves in each half against Saint Peter's to earn her first clean sheet.
 
Both goals for NJIT (2-5) came from the penalty spot, the first in the run of play by junior Kaelyn Gamel, assisted by sophomore Dana Schules in the 54th minute and the second on a bona fide penalty kick by senior Megan Dellavalle at 78:04. The goals were the first of the year for each of the Highlander scorers.


 
Saint Peter's, which fell to 0-5 with Wednesday night's loss, got three saves from freshman keeper Lauren Solene.
 
NJIT had the better of the play most of the night against the winless Peacocks, but it wasn't until the second half that the Highlanders began piling up scoring chances. The home team outshot SPU, 18-12 overall, including 13-6 in the second half. NJIT also had a 5-2 lead in corner kicks.
 
Gamel scored at 53:14 after a flurry of NJIT pressure. The speedy Schules, who gave Saint Peter's fits with her speed on wide runs all night, ran down a ball close to the end line about eight yards to the right of the Peacock goalpost. Schules gained control and sent a centering back pass toward the top of the box where Gamel, the junior forward, ran onto it and into the net from near the penalty spot.
 
The second goal of the night, the sixth in the career of the senior Megan Dellavalle, was a pk that was awarded when she was fouled by the Saint Peter's keeper, Solene, in the goal area. Dellavalle slotted her penalty shot to the right and beyond the reach of a diving Solene, who guessed correctly on the kick's direction, but couldn't stop it.
 
In a mostly uneventful first half, a would-be NJIT goal was disallowed in the eighth minute.  Schules raced free down the middle and veered right before crossing to Abi Fakolujo, open on the doorstep. Fakolujo headed the ball into the net, but was whistled for a hand ball on the play.
 
In the second half, with the Highlanders having taken a 1-0 lead, the Peacocks had perhaps their best chance on a free kick from just outside the box in the 64th minute. Ashley Drozd's kick got through the wall but it was right at David, who saw the low shot well and made a comfortable save.


 
Highlander senior Rebecca Tustin hit metal twice in a seven-minute span leading up to Dellavalle's insurance penalty kick. Tustin's hard 25-yarder in the 71st minute hit the crossbar and she hit the right post with another blast moments before the Dellavalle goal.
 
The Highlanders, who completed their three-match home stand against teams from the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference when they beat Saint Peter's, will go on the road for their next four contests, beginning with a game Friday night at 7 pm at Central Connecticut State.
 
NJIT, 2-2 against the MAAC will visit two more sides from the conference, playing at Rider on Sunday and at Iona on September 19.