NJIT Highlights

SOUTH ORANGE, NJ--Graduate student Regsan Watkins netted a pair of goals for NJIT but Seton Hall's Mattia Cella scored the game-winning goal in the 95th minute as No. 22 Seton Hall held on for a 4-3 overtime victory against visiting NJIT in men's soccer non-conference action at Owen T. Carroll Field Friday evening.

Seton Hall, the defending BIG EAST Champions and NCAA Tournament quarterfinal appearance participant remains undefeated on the young season, improving to 3-0-2.  NJIT, which played its second overtime match of the season, dropped its second straight one-goal decision, moving to 1-2-1 on the year.

Watkins, the 2021 America East Striker of the Year, netted a pair of goals (one in each half) for NJIT, adding to his career goals and points total.  His 38 goals and 91 points ranks second among NCAA Division I active career leaders.

Graduate student Rene White, the active NCAA Division I career goals (43) and points leader (93), added one goal in the match.  For the season, White has scored at least one goal in the first four matches of the year, including a pair of goals in NJIT's 4-1 season-opening win over Fairleigh Dickinson.

Sophomore Jose Escandon collected a pair of assists and junior Alejandro Rabell added one assist.  Escandon and Rabell share team-high honors with three assists on the season.

The Hall went up early in the 12th minute on a goal by Raz Amir assisted by Johannes Pex, for a 1-0 lead.  Pex, who was named Preseason BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year, served the ball from the right side of the field, finding Amir in the middle of the box, sending home a header into the lower right post. 

A minute after Seton Hall's first tally, NJIT's White nearly evened the score, blasting a shot off the top of the crossbar.

In the 20th minute, NJIT had an opportunity to tie the match as Watkins carried the ball down the sideline, finding White inside the box but the shot sailed high.

Watkins scored the equalizer in the 31st minute, receiving a long pass from Escandon, putting away his 37th career tally with a right-footed strike into the lower left corner of the goal, knotting the match at 1-1.  Escandon recorded his second assist of the season.

Just five minutes into the second half, newcomer Goncalo Franco had a chance to put the Highlanders ahead with a shot into the lower right of the goal but Seton Hall keeper Andreas Nota made a diving save.

In the 56th minute, Seton Hall had two chances to go ahead, 2-1, off a corner kick headed by Luca Dahn which went off the left post and second opportunity on another header, this time by Maurice Williams which was saved by junior Highlander keeper Samuel Reisgys. 

Seton Hall took a  2-1 lead in the 77th minute off a chip into the box by Pex, finding Mans Saebbo, who put away his second goal of the season on a running diving header.

A minute later, White scored his fifth goal of the season (43rd career) on a header off a cornerkick by Escandon for a 2-2 score.

Sixteen seconds later, Seton Hall went back on top, 3-2, on a tally by Jordan Jowers, his first of the season, assisted by JP Marin.

NJIT's Watkins tallied his second goal of the match, scoring the equalizer in the 80th minute, receiving a pass at the top of the box from Rabell.  Watkins settled the ball and fired high past a diving Seton Hall keeper, hitting the top of the crossbar and bouncing into the goal for a 3-3 game. 

The Hall scored the game-winner in the 95th minute on a header by Mattia Cella, assisted by Pex, his third of the match for the 4-3 overtime victory.

Seton Hall held an advantage in overall shots 18-14 and corner kicks 10-3.  Pirate keeper Nota picked up the win, stopping five Highlander shots.

NJIT will return home for three in a row, beginning with Iona on September 14.  America East Conference play will kick off on September 18, hosting UMass Lowell and the three-match homestand will conclude on September 21 against La Salle.