BURLINGTON, VT--NJIT scored two late goals in a span of 2:20 but couldn't complete the comeback as No. 2 Vermont edged No. 6 NJIT, 3-2, in the 2021 America East Semifinals hosted by Vermont at Virtue Field.
NJIT ended its 2021 campaign with a 6-12-1 overall record, 3-5-0 in the America East. Vermont advances to the America East finals and will face top-seeded New Hampshire.
Vermont tallied a goal late in the first half and added a pair of goals in the second half for a 3-0 advantage.
The Highlanders did not go away quietly, scoring a pair of goals in the span of 2:20 on goals from Asembo Augo ('86) and Regsan Watkins ('88), pulling within one goal of Vermont, 3-2.
Three different players scored for Vermont -- Yves Borie, Joe Morrison and Jacob Vitalie. Catamount keeper Nathan Silveria picked up the win, stopping six Highlander shots.
In the 12th minute, Vermont's Nacho Lerech fired a shot with his left foot, hitting the crossbar and NJIT's keeper Samuel Reisgys collected the rebound.
The Highlanders generated its first shot of the match on a left-footed shot by Regsan Watkins just inside the 18, saved by Vermont's goalkeeper Nathan Silveria in the 16th minute.
Vermont sent a curved cross to the far side, finding Garrett Lillie in the 23rd minute. Lillie's low shot was saved by Reisgys to keep the home team off the board.
The Catamounts struck first in the 39th minute as Lerech curved the ball into the box off a corner kick finding Noah Egan who headed the ball down, hitting off the right post and Yves Borie collected the rebound and tucked home the first goal of the match for a 1-0 lead.
After the first 45 minutes, Vermont held a huge advantage in overall shots 9-to-1 with NJIT's lone shot coming 16th minute off the foot of Watkins.
An early opportunity in the second for NJIT on a blasted shot by Regsan Watkins saved by Silveria in the 49th minute.
Vermont went ahead 2-0 in the 61st minute on a goal by Joe Morrison. Morrison took the first shot, which went off a Highlander defender's back, Matt Black followed up with a blast that was saved by a diving Reisgys but the third shot found the back of the net by Morrison.
The Catamounts took a commanding 3-0 lead in the 78th minute on a goal by Jacob Vitalie.
Freshman Asembo Augo scored his first collegiate goal in the 86th minute on a header off a direct kick just outside the box served in by Alejandro Rabell for a 3-1 score.
Two minutes later, NJIT pulled with one goal, 3-2, on a long blast by Matt Moran which was saved by Catamount keeper but unable to cradle the ball, Watkins collected the rebound and put away the Highlanders second goal of the match.
For NJIT, fifth-year Rene White and Watkins conclude their collegiate careers.
White and Watkins are ranked the top three in goals and top three in points among NCAA Division I active career men's soccer leaders as of November 10.
White, from Bloomfield, NJ, ranks first in the NCAA in career goals (49) and in points (108) while teammate Watkins, from Capetown, South Africa sits tied for second in goals (41) and third in points (101).
A 2021 CoSIDA Academic All-America first-team honoree, White ranks third all-time in the record books in goals and fourth in points while holding the NJIT Division I record for total goals.
Watkins, the 2021 America East Conference Striker of the Year, ranks fourth all-time at NJIT in goals and fifth in points. The Highlander forward played two seasons at Bloomfield College prior to attending NJIT, tallying 22 goals.
