RIVERDALE, N.Y. --- Despite a three-goal rally and a historic goal from senior
Aaron Forster, the NJIT men's lacrosse team came up short in a tightly contested 11-10 loss to the Manhattan College Jaspers Saturday afternoon at Gaelic Park.
Forster led NJIT (1-10) in total points with three (1 G, 2 A). His goal, at the 14:06 mark of the third quarter, made the senior the tenth active Division I player to net 100 scores for a career.
Joe Covino and
Colton Johnson each scored a team-high two goals and were two of the Highlanders' season-high eight goal scorers.
After Manhattan (5-5) closed the first quarter with a 4-1 lead, NJIT reversed their fortunes with a 4-1 quarter of its own in the second. Johnson (12:47) and Covino (12:07) scored their first goals of the game within a minute of each other to close the deficit to 4-3 and after a Jasper score at the 8:35 mark, Johnson and
Cole Robillard added two more goals even the score at 5-5 before the half.
Scoring in the second half began with the milestone goal from Forster, who is the NJIT program leader in goals, assists, and points. The senior clinched the mark at the most opportune time, as his goal at the 14:06 mark gave the Highlanders their first lead of the game, 6-5.
That goal set off a wild quarter of action: Manhattan regained its lead with back-to-back scores (7-6 at 7:40),
Ryan Kaden and
Max Wilson helped NJIT match to go ahead again (8-7 at 5:22), and after exchanging another goal each - including one from
Collin Fogerty - the Highlanders held a 9-8 advantage going into the final period.
Unfortunately, Manhattan worked methodically to take control back in the game. The Jaspers scored once in each third of the period to eventually take an 11-9 lead with 2:54 left in the game. Covino's second goal with 51 seconds remaining trimmed Manhattan's lead to one and his ground ball on the ensuing faceoff gave the Highlanders a final chance to tie the game.
Ryan Darrow was able to get off a shot in front of the net with 25 seconds left but the shot was blocked and Manhattan grabbed the ground ball that followed to hold possession for the rest of the game.
NJIT will return to action on Saturday, April 6 with a road matchup in Virginia against Hampton. First faceoff is scheduled for 2 p.m.
