NJIT men's lacrosse hosts their second game of the season, against two-time opponent VMI on Saturday for a 12pm game at Drew University.
Ranger Stadium has been home to the Highlanders the last three seasons until the new turf field is built on NJIT campus due to be completed in the Fall of 2018.
ALL TIME SERIES
This will be the third meeting between the two teams, and both teams are looking for their first win of 2018.
In the Highlanders sophomore season, they played the Keydets for the first time, losing 10-7 on February 27. 2016. VMI had an 8-3 advantage going into halftime, and outscored the Keydets in the second half 4-2.
Last season the game was decided by one goal, 9-8 in favor of the Keydets. Junior
Aaron Forster started his scoring streak against the Keydets, and tied what was the NJIT record for goals in a game with four. Forster broke the record last season against Rutgers earning five goals. The first quarter was the highest scoring quarter with eight goals, NJIT five and VMI 3. The Highlanders kept a 6-4 lead going into halftime, but the Keydets scored five unanswered goals from the second to fourth quarters to take an 8-6 lead. NJIT would score in the last 47 seconds to make it 9-8, and tried for a final push but were unable to finish.
A LOOK AT THE KEYDETS
VMI is starting the season off 0-1 with a 12-7 loss to Manhattan on February 17.
The Keydets were picked to finish eighth in the Southern Conference Coaches Poll, and junior defender Kyle Walsh was named to the preseason All-SoCon team.
Walsh leads the team in ground balls after game one tallying five in the first game, while Eric Lane has three caused turnovers.
Senior Wesley Saunders is one of VMI's top returners. A two-time first team All-SoCon honoree, Saunders was the Keydets leading scorer in 2017.
John Daniel leads the team in goals and points with three. The sophomore was named to the So-Con All-Freshman team in 2017, leading the team in assists and points.
The Keydets beat out Manhattan in faceoffs winning 14-of-22 with the help of AJ Krstulovic who won 11 out of 22 faceoffs.
In goal for VMI is Bill Osteen, who grabbed 12 saves in the loss to Manhattan.
A LOOK AT THE HIGHLANDERS
The Highlanders are coming off a 11-6 loss at Delaware last Saturday, and are hungry for their first win.
Junior
Aaron Forster has extended his scoring streak to 17 after the Highlanders game against Delaware on Saturday. Forster has accumulated 42 goals, 12 assists for 54 total points in the streak. Forster also leads the Highlanders in points currently with 11 (8g, 3a).
Behind Forster on the offensive end is
Cole Robillard. Robillard has five goals on the year, which is already one more that he tallied all of last year.
Freshman
Max Wilson has been racking up the points for himself (6), earning a point in three out of the Highlanders first four games and leads the team in assists (4).
Junior captain
Ryan Darrow is third on the team in goals with four.
Sophomore
Adam Gonzalez has been NJIT's go-to guy on the faceoff circle, grabbing 22-of-62 wins so far, and picking up six ground balls.
John Tachon leads the team in ground balls with 19, and has been one of the Highlanders anchor on defense along with teammates
Matthew Valdez (7gb, 6ct),
Luke Binder (4gb, 4ct) and
Kevin Falteisek (4gb, 3ct).
Senior captain
Nick Marzullo has played all but 11 minutes for the Highlanders in goal so far this season, making 13.75 saves per game and totaling 55 on the year. Marzullo also picked up his first two collegiate assists in the Highlanders last two games.
