MADISON, NJ – NJIT men's lacrosse fell 10-8 to Lafayette on Saturday afternoon at the Highlanders temporary home, Drew University's Ranger Stadium.

The Leopards won its fourth game against NJIT in as many years.

"We made plays at both ends of the field today", head coach Travis Johnson said about the game, "we just couldn't finish some of the plays. We improved over the course of the week and now have to get ready for a short turn around for a very good Army team on Tuesday."

Eleven Highlanders (0-2) posted career days in the loss, starting with scorers Ryan Kaden and Max Wilson. Both Kaden and Wilson earned themselves three points on the day, a record point game for Kaden, whose previous record was two and freshman Wilson, who tallied his first collegiate assist and first caused turnover as well.

Jackson Boyd scored his first collegiate goal, in a man-up opportunity for NJIT in the third quarter.

Adam Gonzalez won a personal-best eight faceoffs in the game going 8-for-18, and grabbed a career-high two ground balls. Following Gonzalez, Shane Plokhoy won his first collegiate faceoff going 1-of-1 at the circle.

Freshman Cole Johnson notched himself a career-high two shots, defender John Tachon tallied two of his own, and freshman Nicholas Irwin posted his first two collegiate shots.

Matthew Valdez gave a good show on defense, posting a career-high and program record four caused turnovers and tying his personal-best three ground balls in a game.  Attackman Cole Robillard also notched his first career caused turnover.

Defender Luke Binder rounds out the 11 grabbing a personal-best three ground balls.

Aaron Forster posted three points in the win on a goal and two assists, extending his scoring and points' streak to 15 games.

Other Highlander scorers were Ryan Darrow and Johnny Madaras IV with two goal apiece.

For the Leopards (1-1) Adam Close grabbed himself a hat-trick, with Conor Walters posted two goals and one assist and Matt Close putting in two goals. Will McCarthy posted a goal and an assist and John Natoli and Zane Crandall each posted a goal.

NJIT won the battle in ground balls, getting 26 to the Leopards 23 and had the edge in man-up opportunities earning three to Lafayette's one.

Both goalies, Nick Marzullo and Jonathan Anastos made 12 saves, with Anastos earning his first win of 2018.

Lafayette went into halftime with a five four lead, and the Highlanders took the 6-5 lead in the third after two man-up goals.

Zane Crandell scored an unassisted goal to tie it up in the eighth minute and the score stayed tied until Forster connected with Kaden to take the Highlanders final lead.

The Leopards went on to score four unanswered goals in the end of the third and the beginning of the fourth quarter to take the lead and kept it for the rest of the game. Madaras added the last goal of the game to make the final 10-8.

The Highlanders travel to Army West Point on Tuesday, for a 3pm game against the No. 16 ranked team.