NEWARK, NJ—NJIT, having one of its best seasons in program history, will visit Stetson on Sunday at the Athletic Training Center in DeLand, Florida. Kickoff is slated for 1pm.
ASUN Conference Tournament
With a win over Stetson, NJIT will clinch the programs first-ever spot in the ASUN Conference Tournament since joining the league in 2015-16.
The 2018 ASUN Women's Soccer Tournament is played at campus sites. Six teams qualify, with the higher-seeded team hosting. When the field is reduced to four, those teams all play at the home field of the highest-seeded team remaining in the competition, with the champion advancing to the 2018 NCAA Women's College Cup.
The tournament begins on October 26 with the semifinals and finals scheduled for October 28 and November 3.
Hatter Vision
The match can be seen live on Hatter Vision.
A simple way to find Hatter Vision 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 Hatter Vision portal where you can access the desired program.
All-Time Series
Stetson leads the all-time series, 2-1. Last season, NJIT registered a 1-0 victory.
Last Time Out
NJIT recorded a 1-0 home victory over five-time defending ASUN Conference Champions FGCU on Friday afternoon, setting a program-record for wins in a season with 10.
The game-winner was scored in the 52
nd minute, following an Eagles yellow card. Sophomore
Nicole Loehle netted her second game-winning goal while
Arianna Gerber's assist, her fifth of the season and 14th for her career, ranks her second all-time (one behind program leader
Erika Taugher).
Goalkeeper
Amelia Sapirman became the program leader in career shutouts for an NJIT goalkeeper with 12.
Scouting the Highlanders
NJIT (10-3-1, 4-1 ASUN) sits tied for first in the ASUN Conference women's soccer rankings with Kennesaw State. The two teams have combined for 12 points.
In the win over FGCU, the Highlanders set programs records – most single-season wins (10), most career goalkeeper shutouts by an individual goalkeeper (Sapirman) with 12 and while ranking tied for first for most career goalkeeper wins with 17.
Freshman
Fiona Wright, the NJIT single-season goal leader with eight goals and 16 points, has scored a goal in four of the Highlanders last nine matches. Wright ranks second in the ASUN in goals (8) and fifth in points (16).
Jennifer Callaghan's and
Tara Walenczyk's three goals ranks second on the team while Gerber's team-leading five assists ranks tied for sixth in the league.
Sapirman has played every minute in goal for the Highlanders, allowing 13 goals and boasting a .849 save percentage, which ranks second in the ASUN. The graduate student ranks third in GAA in the league, giving up 0.91 per game.
Reigning ASUN Conference Defensive Player of the Week
Graduate student
Amelia Sapirman earned her first career ASUN Conference Women's Soccer Defensive Player of the Week honors, following a pair of shutouts wins for the Highlanders last week.
Sapirman recorded 17 total saves in a pair of shutout victories over North Florida and Jacksonville in ASUN Conference action.
She set a career-high with 13 saves against North Florida, the most by an ASUN keeper this season.
The Highlander keeper backed up that performance with four more saves in a 4-0 victory at Jacksonville.
Scouting the Hatters
Stetson (3-8-3, 0-4-1 ASUN) enter Sunday's match on a four-match losing streak, most recently a 2-0 loss against Kennesaw State.
The last time the Hatters won came against Georgia Southern, 1-0, on August 31. Since the win, Stetson has recorded two ties and six loses.
Lindsey Parent paces the Hatters with three goals and seven points. Nicole Foley is the team leader in assist with three.
Next Up
NJIT will play its next two matches at home on the campus of Kean University East Campus to conclude the regular season.
