Box Score NEW ROCHELLE, NY—For the second consecutive game, the NJIT women's soccer team trailed at halftime of a road contest, tied in the second half to force overtime, but ultimately lost, 2-1. The latest heartache came Friday afternoon at Iona, five days after a similar fate for the Highlanders at Rider.
Last Sunday's loss at Rider came in the 108th minute; the latest golden goal, scored by Iona freshman Marisa Bentley, came even later, in the 109th minute, just 68 seconds ahead of what would have been the final whistle had the game ended in a tie.
The win raises Iona's season record to 4-5, as the Gaels halted a three-loss skid with the win over the visiting Highlanders (2-8), who are 0-5 in games decided by one goal, including three in overtime. Despite winning just twice, NJIT has not allowed more than two goals in a game and has held its opponents to either zero or one goal through regulation in seven of its 10 games.
Iona, coming off a 5-1 beating last Sunday at Hartford, a team that nipped NJIT 1-0, Iona struck first against the Highlanders, as Melissa Frederick headed in a throw-in from Emily Hansen in the 26th minute.
Down at the break, 1-0, and playing without injured
Carly Berdan and
Rebecca Tustin, who had combined for three of NJIT's six goals and 15 of its 23 shots on goal through 9 games, the Highlanders drew even on the scoreboard against Iona early in the second half.
Kaelyn Gamel scored unassisted for NJIT at 51:21 and the score stayed at 1-1 over an hour more on the game clock, finally ending at 108:52 on Bentley's header off of another throw-in, this one from Charlotte Stuart.
Aside from the score-by-periods and the final result, the final box score at Iona was similar to the one at Rider for the Highlanders. Iona's 34-3 lead in total shots were reflected in the saves totals for the NJIT goalkeepers. Starter
Samantha Bersett went the first 45 minutes, allowing one goal and making 6 saves. Sophomore
Karen David came on to start the second half and made 12 saves, blanking Iona in the second half (despite 20 Gaels shots—12 on goal--in 45 minutes) and through the first overtime and nearly to the end of the second overtime.
At Rider, the final total shots were 36-5 for Rider and Bersett made three saves as the starter through 45 minutes and David came in at the break and made 13 saves over the second half and late into the second overtime before being beaten on the late golden goal.
Iona freshman keeper Morgan McBrier went the full 108:52 and made two saves in beating NJIT. It was her first college goalkeeping victory.
The first Iona goal was a header at the upper left corner by Frederick, a senior for the Gaels. NJIT's Gamel scored her second goal of the season when she finished after recovering a loose ball in the goalie box. The game-winner for Iona's Bentley, was, like the first Gael goal, a header off a throw-in. However, while first IC strike was into the upper left corner, Bentley's was headed down at the right corner.
With the completion of the game at Iona, NJIT has played six of the 11 teams in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, losing to defending champion Monmouth, Manhattan, Rider (double overtime), and Iona (double overtime) and defeating Canisius and Saint Peter's.
With no more games against MAAC teams left on the schedule for the DI Independent Highlanders, NJIT will turn to the America East Conference and visit UAlbany on Thursday, September 25 at 7 pm. NJIT has a 1-0 home loss to Hartford in the other game for the Highlanders against an America East team.
