HILLSIDE, NJ – FGCU scored a goal in each half and held on to a 2-0 victory over NJIT on Saturday afternoon in the ASUN Conference opener for both teams at Kean University East Campus.
Each team had an abundance of chances in front of the net with the Eagles (4-2-1, 1-0 ASUN) outshooting the Highlanders (5-3, 0-1 ASUN) 15-11.
Rene White accumulated five of NJIT's 11 shots himself.
"We had a lot of chances to score today -- a missed a pk and unfortunately we were unable to put one away," third-year head coach
Fernando Barboto commented. "I thought we dominated most of the game and possession."
In the 11th minute of action,
Pablo Jimenez served a corner kick into the back of the box and found
Victor Gomez, who headed the ball but FGCU keeper Gustavo Vasconcelos made the stop.
A penalty kick in the 15th minute was awarded to the home team. NJIT's leader goal scorer White's strike went towards the right post but a diving save by Vasconcelos kept the Highlanders off the board.
FGCU got on the board in the 31st minute on a shot by Shak Adams. Adams split two Highlander defenders and tucked away his fifth goal of the season to the far side, past a diving Highlander keeper for a 1-0 lead.
Sophomore Jimenez almost tied the game up in the 69
th minute, with a direct kick that he aimed at the back post, but was once again thwarted by Vasconcelos with a diving save.
The Eagles added their second goal in the 86
th minute with Jordan Lue's first goal of the season. Lue received a ball from Adams who was at the endline, and scored near the penalty mark.
Vasconcelos made seven saves or the Eagles in the win, and
Victor Pujades tallied six saves for his team.
Looking ahead to the Highlanders next match, Barboto added, "We need to bounce back mentally and physically. The match on Tuesday is going to be a test of each teams' collectiveness and individual talent because the legs aren't going to be there."
The Highlanders take a break from ASUN play and host LIU on Tuesday for a 3:30pm game at Kean University East Campus.
