PHILADELPHIA --- Despite outshooting their opponents in the second half, an early first half score proved to be the difference in NJIT women's soccer's 1-0 loss to the La Salle Explorers Thursday evening at McCarthy Stadium.

NJIT (0-2-1) fell behind in the third minute of the game after La Salle (1-1-1) headed home its first shot of the night. Despite being held without a shot in the first half and allowing nine more shots by the Explorers in the first 45 minutes, NJIT kept itself in the game with its trademark defensive energy.

The Highlanders' intensity jumped significantly in the second half as the team pushed to even the score. From the time Tara Walenczyk took NJIT's first shot 54 seconds into the second, NJIT outshot La Salle 8-5 to close the game, including a line drive shot from Angela Harris in the 51st minute that hit the top crossbar and bounced away from the goal.

NJIT also won the corner kick battle in the latter half (5-3), which helped the Highlanders apply more pressure on the hosts.

Leading the way for NJIT was Fiona Wright, who played for the first time this season. Wright took three of the Highlanders' eight shots in her first game action of 2019. Harris took a pair of shots and three others logged one shot apiece.

OTHER NOTES
After a collision with a teammate, starting goalkeeper Molly Saylor was briefly subbed out for freshman Cassidy Landis. In nearly six minutes of action, Landis did not register a save or allow a goal. Saylor made four saves in her 84:21 of game action.

NEXT UP
NJIT will play back-to-back home games, beginning with a meeting against Saint Peter's on Saturday, August 31 at 1 p.m.