BETHLAHEM, PA – NJIT sophomore
Joe Lomeli extended his scoring streak to 13 games in the Highlanders' 21-4 loss to Lehigh on Saturday at Ulrich Stadium. Lomeli ended last season scoring in all 12 games for the Highlanders, with 19 total goals.
NJIT (0-1) was led by freshman
Aaron Forster, who tallied his first goal and assist of his collegiate career, and sophomore
Ryan Bradway who also recorded a goal and an assist. Lomeli and freshman
Ryan Darrow also scored for the Highlanders.
The Mountain Hawks (1-0) were led by freshman Tristan Rai who recorded five goals, senior Alex Eaton who has four goals and two assists, and junior Matt Raposo who posted three goals and two assists. Senior Billy Oppenhemer tallied a game-high three assists, while senior Reid Weber added two goals and two assists.
Lehigh took a 5-0 lead in the first quarter, with a hat-trick by Rai.
The Highlanders got on the board in the fifth minute when freshman
Aaron Forster rolled around the crease and finished to the top corner.
With .01 seconds remaining sophomore
Ryan Bradway scored from 10 yards out on a pass from Forster, with the score 8-2 Mountain Hawks going into the second period.
Lehigh would score another eight answered goals in the second period, three coming from Eaton, and two from Rai, making the score 16-2 at halftime.
The Highlanders were first to score in the third period when Lomeli connected with Bradway for NJIT's third goal of the game.
The Mountain Hawks would answer back four times, ending the third period with 20-3 lead.
Darrow would score the first goal of his career, an unassisted goal in the 11
th minute of the fourth period. NJIT kept Lehigh to just one goal in the fourth period, coming from freshman Jackson Monnin.
Starting goalie sophomore
Nick Marzullo recorded 10 saves for the Highlanders, while freshman
Cameron Cronk tallied his first two collegiate saves in the fourth quarter.
Sophomore goalie Adam Sawicki, junior Donny Stires and freshman Jonathan Klobus shared the net for Lehigh, Sawicki the starter made three saves while Stires made two and Klobus one.
NJIT will travel to Vermont on February 13 to face the Catamounts at 3pm.