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Women's Soccer

Women's Soccer Opens America East Play Sunday at UMass Lowell

Game 9 at UMass Lowell (3-3-1)
Date | Time  Sunday, September 19, 2021 | 2:00 pm 
Location | Arena  Lowell, MA | Cushing Field
All-Time Series Tied 1-1
Live Stats In-game statistics (free)
Live Video AmericaEast.TV

NEWARK, N.J. --- The NJIT women's soccer team wraps up its season-long three-game road trip and begins its second season of America East play Sunday afternoon as the Highlanders take on the UMass Lowell Riverhawks.

LAST TIME OUT
NJIT closed the road portion of its non-conference schedule with a 1-0 road defeat against the Lafayette Leopards last Sunday (September 12).

CHANT, MAGRUDER HONORED
Chant and Magruder were named America East Offensive and Defensive Player of the Week, respectively, on September 7.

Chant led the Highlanders to wins over Wagner (1-0) and Saint Peter's (6-0) with a league-best six points (2 G, 2 A) last week. Chant's corner kick assist set up freshman Taylor Pape's game-winning header against Wagner and she accounted for half of NJIT's goals (the first two scores and another assist) against Saint Peter's. 

Magruder anchored the Highlander back line in its two shutout victories, playing all 180 minutes and helping limit Wagner and Saint Peter's to two total shots on goal (one each game). Magruder also chipped in on the offensive side, adding two assists against Saint Peter's - including one to Chant - for her first career game with more than one assist or goal.

The honors bring NJIT's all-time America East weekly awards total to five, including the Highlanders' three laurels from the 2020 season (played in Spring 2021): Corbin Reifschneider's Offensive and Rookie honors (Feb. 23) and Molly Saylor's Defensive award (Mar. 2).

(CORNER) KICKIN' IT 
The Caputo-to-Adams goal connection against Rider marked the third straight match that the Highlanders were able to score from their corner kick set pieces: CLEAN SHEETS
With wins over Wagner and Saint Peter's, NJIT posted back-to-back shutouts for the first time since August 31 and September 5, 2019 when the Highlanders blanked Saint Peter (2-0) and Rider (5-0) respectively.

COMPLETE DOMINANCE
From kickoff to the final whistle, NJIT was the more aggressive, more consistent and more composed side on the field against Wagner on September 2. Offensively, the Highlanders took 19 shots, marking their first match with that many chances since rattling off 19 shots in another 1-0 home victory over Jacksonville (Oct. 24, 2019). NJIT's back line held Wagner (2-2) to four total shots, its lowest total since giving up only two shots against Saint Peter's on August 31, 2019.

NJIT also held a 6-1 edge in shots on goal, with Wagner's lone on goal chance matching Saint Peter's amount in the same 2019 matchup.

Eight different Highlanders logged a shot in the box score, led by Chant's five. Freshman Caroline Caputo and sophomore Briana Ramirez - who made her first career in the front line - each took three shots, juniors Madison Taibl and Lauren Chamberlain had a pair of chances and fifth year Tara Walenczyk joined Pape with one shot attempt.

EASY DAY AT THE OFFICE
For the second straight game (Wagner and Saint Peter's), redshirt junior Molly Saylor only needed to make one save in a game - after last logging one or fewer stops at LIU on September 13, 2019.

APPLYING (DEFENSIVE) PRESSURE
NJIT won the corner kick battle in its season opener at St. John's, 11-8 (including a 6-0 first half advantage) and recorded double digit corners for the first time since putting up ten against LIU Brooklyn on August 19, 2018.

The Highlanders ratcheted up their pressure all-around against Seton Hall, outshooting the Pirates 13-11 (first time this season), logging a 6-1 edge in corner kicks and a 7-4 lead in total saves while drawing two fewer fouls (nine to 11).

RAMPING UP
After making four saves in the opener at St. John's, Molly Saylor either set or matched a season high in saves in the next three games: seven against Monmouth, seven against Seton Hall and ten against Pitt. 

NOTABLE RETURNS
NJIT's improved offensive performance against Seton Hall coincided with the Highlanders adding a pair of healthy veterans to the rotation as junior Nora O'Connor and fifth year Siani Magruder saw their first action of the season.

YOUTH MOVEMENT
A combination of merit and attrition allowed head coach Ally Nick to showcase some of her young players in Thursday's opener. Freshmen Ciara Adams, Caroline Caputo, Daniella Vito, and Taylor Pape all made the starting lineup against St. John's, the most true freshmen to start an opener under Nick during her six seasons in Newark.

BACK TO "NEW NORMAL"
After playing the 2020 campaign - its first season as members of the America East - during Spring 2021 and without fans, NJIT will have the chance to play a standard fall schedule in 2021 with fans back in attendance.

The Highlanders will play an 18-match schedule, equally divided between home, away, non-conference, and America East contests (nine each). NJIT's fall spectator policy will allow fans to attend matches while wearing masks, regardless of vaccination status.

2021 OUTLOOK
The Highlanders will bring back 21 returners from the 2020 campaign played in Spring 2021 and welcome seven freshmen and one transfer into the program. The veteran-laden squad is primed to bounce back from an inaugural season in the America East that saw NJIT finish 2-6-1 (0-5-1 AE). 

Sixth-year head coach Ally Nick will be able to call on a quartet of fifth-year seniors exercising the extra year of eligibility afforded to them by the COVID-19 pandemic (Jennifer Callaghan, Christine Conaghy, Yasmeen Malik, Tara Walenczyk) and four members of this year's senior class (Whitney Roth, Angela Harris, and former ASUN award winners Molly Saylor and Siani Magruder) to bring the rest of the roster along to reach the program's goals.

2021 STATS LEADERS
Goals: Bailey Chant - 2
Assists: Chant/Siani Magruder/Caroline Caputo - 2
Points: Chant - 6
Shots: Caputo - 13
Saves: Molly Saylor - 36
GAA: Saylor - 1.88

2020 RETURNING STATS LEADERS
Goals: Corbin Reifschneider/Lauren Chamberlain - 2
Assists: Christine Conaghy - 1
Points: Reifschneider/Chamberlain  - 4
Shots: Chamberlain - 22
Saves: Molly Saylor - 46
GAA: Saylor - 1.79

ALL-TIME SERIES
NJIT and UMass Lowell will be meeting for the third time ever on Sunday. The teams have each won on their home field, with UMass Lowell winning the first contest in 2017 (2-1, 2OT, Aug. 27) and NJIT winning the last matchup in 2018 (1-0, Aug. 31).

SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
UMass Lowell enters Sunday with a 3-3-1 overall record and will also be opening America East play against the Highlanders. The Riverhawks have won two of their last three contests - a 1-0 overtime win over Northeastern and a 1-0 road win at Bryant - before falling in their last game at Drexel. UMass Lowell is led by Ioanna Papatheodorou (5 G), Emily Nelson (1 G, 1 A), and Lisa Sjögren (1.31 GAA, 17 saves, .810 save percentage).

NEXT UP
NJIT returns home on Wednesday, September 22 for its final non-conference match of the season against St. Francis Brooklyn. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.

FOLLOW US
Stay up to date during the NJIT women's soccer season by following @NJITWSoccer on Twitter and Instagram and liking the NJIT Women's Soccer page on Facebook.

 
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Players Mentioned

Jennifer Callaghan

#10 Jennifer Callaghan

MF
5' 6"
Fifth Year
Lauren Chamberlain

#7 Lauren Chamberlain

M/F
5' 7"
Junior
Bailey Chant

#19 Bailey Chant

MF
5' 3"
Junior
Christine Conaghy

#22 Christine Conaghy

F
5' 4"
Fifth Year
Angela Harris

#8 Angela Harris

M/F
5' 3"
Senior
Siani Magruder

#24 Siani Magruder

D
5' 3"
Senior
Yasmeen Malik

#15 Yasmeen Malik

MF/D
5' 8"
Fifth Year
Nora O

#13 Nora O'Connor

F
5' 10"
Junior
Briana Ramirez

#23 Briana Ramirez

F
5' 4"
Sophomore
Corbin Reifschneider

#27 Corbin Reifschneider

F
5' 11"
Sophomore

Players Mentioned

Jennifer Callaghan

#10 Jennifer Callaghan

5' 6"
Fifth Year
MF
Lauren Chamberlain

#7 Lauren Chamberlain

5' 7"
Junior
M/F
Bailey Chant

#19 Bailey Chant

5' 3"
Junior
MF
Christine Conaghy

#22 Christine Conaghy

5' 4"
Fifth Year
F
Angela Harris

#8 Angela Harris

5' 3"
Senior
M/F
Siani Magruder

#24 Siani Magruder

5' 3"
Senior
D
Yasmeen Malik

#15 Yasmeen Malik

5' 8"
Fifth Year
MF/D
Nora O

#13 Nora O'Connor

5' 10"
Junior
F
Briana Ramirez

#23 Briana Ramirez

5' 4"
Sophomore
F
Corbin Reifschneider

#27 Corbin Reifschneider

5' 11"
Sophomore
F