Post Game Interview

NEWARK, NJ—USC Upstate came north from Spartanburg, SC, and dealt NJIT a 2-0 defeat in the first-ever Atlantic Sun Conference women's soccer game for the Highlanders Saturday afternoon on Lubetkin Field at Mal Simon Stadium.
 
USC Upstate (2-8-1, 1-0 A-Sun) made the most of limited opportunities, scoring once in each half despite taking just five shots, four of which were on goal, in the contest.
 
NJIT (2-6, 0-1 A-Sun) did not have an abundance of chances, either, getting off 10 total shots, four on goal.
 
Freshman Kate Wingarner got things started for the Spartans, scoring her team-leading fourth goal of the season, unassisted in the 30th minute. Senior Caroline Keener gave the visitors insurance when she netted her first goal of the season on assists by Haley Gethin and Alexa Hone in the 78th minute.
 
Upstate senior Ellen Bright went the distance in goal, making four saves for her first solo shutout of the season (she had played 70 minutes in a 5-0 win over The Citadel earlier this season).
 
Bright's NJIT counterpart, Samantha Bersett played the full 90 minutes, as well, stopping two shots and letting two into the goal.
 
Two Highlander freshmen, Nicole Baldassini and Arianna Gerber, shared the game lead with three total shots apiece. Baldassini, with two shots on goal, was the only player on either team to put more than one shot on target.
 
Winegarner's goal for USC Upstate came when she scored off of her own rebound. The insurance goal by Keener followed two touches by her team, the first by Gethin, who played a pass wide to Hone, who crossed back to Keener, who finished less than 13 minutes from time.
 
Having tasted Atlantic Sun Conference competition for the first time, NJIT will step back out into non-conference play for its next contest, a 7 pm home game Tuesday night against LIU Brooklyn.