NEWARK, NJ--NJIT will host non-conference opponent Temple on Wednesday at 3:30pm on the campus of Kean University East Campus in Hillside, NJ.
Construction Update on NJIT Campus
With construction underway on-campus for the new Soccer Stadium, the Highlanders home field will be in Hillside, NJ, on the campus of Kean University – East Campus Facility until construction of the soccer stadium is completed. Click
HERE for directions.
Highlander Sports Network
The match can be seen live on the Highlander Sports Network.
A simple way to find Highlanders Sports Network is on NJIT's official athletics website, http://www.njithighlanders.com. Near the middle of the home page, click Upcoming Events for a list of scheduled NJIT contests. After finding the event, click the camera icon to the left next to the live stats icon in the red box. That brings you to the Highlander Sports Network portal where you can access the desired program.
Last Time Out
Four different players scored a goal for Jacksonville in the Dolphins' 4-2 victory over visiting NJIT Saturday evening in ASUN Conference action at Southern Oak Stadium.
Redshirt sophomore
Rene White scored his team-leading eighth goal of the season in the 72nd minute, closing the Highlander gap to within two, 4-2. White, who leads the ASUN Conference in goals scored, has scored eight goals in 10 games this season and ranks tied for 13th in the nation in goals.
Highlander goalkeeper
Victor Pujades made five saves in 90 minutes while Jacksonville's Matt Levy combined for seven saves.
Scouting NJIT
The Highlanders enter the match with an overall record of 5-5. Most recently, NJIT is coming off a 4-2 loss at ASUN Conference opponent Jacksonville. Both Highlander goals were scored late in the second half.
NJIT, which last won on September 12, a 1-0 victory at St. Francis Brooklyn, looks to snap a four-match skid.
White leads both NJIT and the ASUN Conference in goals (8), points (17), and shots (28). His eight goals nods him as one of the top goal scorers in the nation, and he netted a season high three goals in the first-ever hat trick in the NJIT Division I era in a come-from-behind victory, 3-2, against Saint Francis U.
Pujades has played every minute in net for the Highlanders this season. The junior keeper has allowed 15 goals against, earning him a goals against average of 1.49. He has saved 36 shots, including three shutouts on the year, logging a save percentage of .706.
Scouting Temple
The Owls are 3-4-2 overall with a conference record of 1-1. Their three game unbeaten streak was snapped on Saturday, when they fell to AAC foe Cincinnati to even their conference record to .500.
Temple is coming off of a 1-0 loss to the Cincinnati Bearcats. Cincinnati struck early against Temple, scoring the only goal of the game in just the sixth minute of action. Despite multiple threatening opportunities for the Owls, this early goal was enough to hand the Cherry and White their first conference loss of the season.
Junior Lukas Fernandes leads the Temple offense with three goals for six points on the season. Two of his goals were scored in back-to-back contests last week, when he netted the equalizer in the 88th minute against Duquesne followed by the game-winner over nationally recognized conference rival UCF.
Following Fernandes is freshman Jalen Campbell, who has earned four points for the Cherry and White from one goal and two assists in his first-year campaign.
Junior Simon Lefebvre has anchored the Owls in net this season, posting 720:38 minutes in his eight starts. The former AAC Goalkeeper of the Week boasts a goals against average of 0.87, only allowing seven tallies over a challenging non-conference schedule and two AAC matches. Lefebvre has saved a team-leading 29 shots, earning him a save percentage of .806.
Overall, the goalkeeping and defensive efforts put forth by the Owls pins them as one of the best defensive teams in the American.
For AAC play, the Owls are tied for first in the conference for goals allowed (1, 0.5/game), shutouts (1) and goals against average (0.5 in 180 minutes of action). Lefebvre is first in save percentage (.900) and second in saves (9, 4.50/game). Lefebvre's total save percentage of .806 also marks the best in the AAC.
