HAMPTON, Va. --- Powered by an eight-point effort from
Aaron Forster, the NJIT men's lacrosse team dominated the Hampton Pirates in a 26-9 victory Saturday afternoon at Armstrong Stadium.
WATCH Highlights vs. Hampton
The Highlanders' offensive explosion set new NJIT single-game records for goals scored (26) and largest margin of victory (17). The previous benchmarks came in NJIT's first-ever meeting against Hampton on April 15, 2017 (17-3). The team total is currently tied with Furman for the second-most in a Division I game this year and was only one goal shy of Penn State's season best of 27.
Forster's seven goals are the second-most the senior has scored in his career, sitting behind the nine-goal showing he had against Quinnipiac on March 2 of this year. The eight total points are the third-most of his Highlander tenure, trailing a nine-point game (4 G, 5A) in NJIT's first matchup with Hampton and the 11 points vs. Quinnipiac.
Here is a closer look at today's win:
- The overall scoring output was historic for the team as well as for Forster as 17 different Highlanders found the back of the net, including multi-score games from Cole Robillard, Vincent D'Agostino and Ryan Darrow.
- Tyler Stevenson, Richard Nardone, Jacob Sieber, Xavier Ritter, Anthony Rodriguez, Eric Sherman, and Brett Goldstein all scored their first goals of the year.
- NJIT scored eight goals each in the second and fourth quarters against Hampton. To contrast, the Highlanders have scored eight or fewer total goals in five of their 12 contests
- Forster scored NJIT's 17th goal of the day to tie the old record at the 8:20 mark of the third quarter and Max Wilson secured the new record about a minute later (7:17).
- NJIT set new season bests in team ground balls (48), shots on goal (41), and caused turnovers (16).
- Forster secured a hat trick in the first quarter with one of his three man-up scores. He has six man-up goals on the year, tying his own school record.
- Earning a second victory today gave the Highlanders their first multi-win season in the program's five-year history.
NJIT will return to action next Saturday, April 13, when the Highlanders head north to Loudonville to face Siena. First face-off is scheduled for 12 noon.
