HILLSIDE, NJ -- The most decorated season in NJIT women's soccer history came to an end Sunday, as No. 6 University of North Alabama upset the No. 2 Highlanders, 3-0, in the ASUN Tournament semifinals. The match was played on the Kean University East Campus in Hillside, N.J.

The Lions (11-8-1) will now go on to play in the ASUN Championship against No. 1 Lipscomb University -- which disposed of No. 4 Florida Gulf Coast University, 1-0, in its side of the bracket Sunday. Because of its reclassification to Division I this season, UNA cannot advance to the NCAA Tournament, meaning the Bisons will represent the conference regardless of the outcome of the championship game this Saturday.

"This obviously wasn't the way we wanted the season to end but I told the team this game does not define us and what we accomplished this season," ASUN Coach of the Year Ally Nick added post game.  "I am so proud of how far this program has grown.  We ask a lot of our players and they were willing to do the work and some which is why this was a special season.  Thank you to the seniors who put their heart into this program for four years.  They set the new standard of NJIT women's soccer and I can't wait to see the future of this program."

The Highlanders (11-5-2) dream of extending their amazing season may have come to an end on, of all things, an own goal in the 74th minute.

Although NJIT had been trailing, 1-0, at the time, the Highlanders completely dominated play in the second half -- outshooting the Lions, 8-0, in the second stanza until the own goal.  

In what had become a rare UNA foray into NJIT territory, junior defender Emily Heckman attempted a clearance kick back to goalkeeper Amelia Sapirman from outside the left of the 18. The ball skipped in an unsuspected way and got behind Sapirman -- leaking its way into the net

The Lions then sealed the game in the 85th minute. ASUN All-Freshman Team selection Anna Bove spun from just outside the 18 and drove a bullet off her right foot and over the head of a leaping Sapirman. The goal, unassisted, was her sixth of the season.

The Lions came out of the gates hot, just as they had in their 2-1 quarterfinals win over No. 3 Kennesaw State on Friday. UNA jumped on the board in the 22nd minute on a combination from a pair of ASUN Second Team All-Conference selections. Junior Tay Cavett chipped a corner kick from Shelby Wall past the sprawling Sapirman and just inside the right post. The goal was the third of the season for Cavett, while the assist was the ASUN-leading 10th of the season for Wall.

NJIT nearly received an equalizer from freshman Fiona Wright just 11 minutes later, but her scoring opportunity was denied on the first of many diving saves by UNA senior goalkeeper Shelby Thornton on Sunday. Thornton finished with four saves for the clean sheet.

Just out of the halftime break, NJIT had perhaps its best scoring threat of the match. Wright powered a shot on goal from just inside the left corner of the 18; but Thornton made another diving save to her left.

The Highlanders stayed on the attack for a significant amount of the second half.

In the 59th minute, sophomore Yasmeen Malik received a center in front of the goal just inside the 18. She fired a shot that whistled through the defense by tailed just left of the net.

In the 62nd minute, a streaking Arianna Gerber put a pass through the face of the goal from the left side. Freshman Angela Harris, who had entered the match just minutes earlier, redirected the ball from behind the defense with a shot that was inches wide of the right post and at evening the match.

Wright also fired a rocket from just inside the right corner of the 18 in the 66th minute, but that, too, was corralled by Thornton. Wright, the ASUN Freshman of the Year, paced NJIT with six shots -- tied with Wall for a match-high -- while also delivering a match-high three shots on goal.

Overall, UNA outshot NJIT, 14-10, with a 7-4 shots on goal advantage. Sapirman culminated her record-setting NJIT career with four saves in the losing effort.

Despite falling a win short of an ASUN Championship date at Lipscomb, NJIT finished the 2018-19 season with a second-place, regular-season finish as well as a program-record 11 wins -- both impressive accomplishments despite their pre-season selection of eighth.

In addition, the program boasted the ASUN Coach of the Year (Ally Nick) and ASUN Freshman of the Year (Wright) in addition to a pair of first-team all-conference selections (Gerber, Wright) and a second-team honoree in sophomore Nicole Loehle.