NEWARK, NJ--NJIT, coming off its first win of the season in America East Conference action on Saturday evening, a 2-1 thrilling golden goal overtime victory, will wrap up its three-game homestand on Tuesday, September 21, hosting La Salle at 7:30pm at Lubetkin Field at Mal Simon Stadium.
Game Information
Kickoff is set for 7:30pm at Lubetkin Field at Mal Simon Stadium. The match will be streamed live on America East TV with in-game statistics available on www.NJITHighlanders.com.
All-Time Series
Tuesday will mark the third meeting between the teams with the Highlanders in search of its first win over La Salle. The Explorers hold a 1-0-1 record against the Highlanders. In the last meeting in 2019 in Philadelphia, the two teams ended in a 2-2 double overtime draw.
Similar Opponents
NJIT and La Salle each faced Rider this season, with the Highlanders taking the Broncs into double overtime for a 2-2 draw while the Explorers registered a 4-2 victory against Rider, scoring all four goals in the second half.
La Salle faced UMBC, a member of the America East Conference, and dropped a 3-2 overtime loss as the Retrievers scored the game-winner with less than two minutes remaining in the extra period. NJIT will host UMBC on October 29 in Newark.
Last Time Out
Junior Alejandro Rabell scored a pair of goals, including the golden goal in overtime in NJIT's thrilling 2-1 America East Conference victory at home against UMass Lowell on Saturday at Lubetkin Field at Mal Simon Stadium.
Rabell scored the golden goal in the 95th minute on a header off a low line drive corner kick by Tomas Jorge to secure the Highlanders first victory in the America East.
NCAA Division I Men's Soccer Career Active List
NJIT graduate students Rene White and Regsan 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 September 15.
White, from Bloomfield, NJ, ranks first in the NCAA in career goals (44) and points (96) while teammate Watkins, from Capetown, South Africa sits in second in goals (38) and points (91).
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.
Back to "New Normal"
After playing the 2020 campaign - its first season as a member of the America East Conference (joined the league on July 1, 2020 as the 10th full member institution) - during Spring 2021 and without fans, NJIT will have the chance to play a standard fall schedule in 2021 with fans back in attendance.
NJIT's 2021 schedule features a 17-match regular season slate, including 10 matches at Lubetkin Field at Mal Simon Stadium, nine non-conference contests, eight America East Conference matches and three against NCAA Tournament participants. NJIT's fall spectator policy will allow fans to attend matches while wearing masks, regardless of vaccination status.
America East Preseason Coaches' Poll
NJIT, which played its first season in the America East Conference in the Spring 2021, made the programs first-ever appearance in the postseason tournament after sitting atop Pod C with a 4-2 conference record, earning the No. 3 seed. NJIT finished the season with a 4-5-1 overall record.
The Highlanders were selected to finish third according to the vote of the nine league coaches in the 2021 Fall Preseason Coaches Poll.
America East Stat Leaders
Goals
Rene White (1st) - 6
Regsan Watkins (8th) - 3
Points
Rene White (1st) - 14
Jose Escandon (6th) - 7
Regsan Watkins (7th) - 8
Assists
Tomas Jorge (T-1st) - 4
Alejandro Rabell and Jose Escandon (T-7th) - 3
Scouting the Opponent
La Salle enters Tuesday's match-up on a two-match skid and 2-5 overall record.
In the last two outings for the Explorers, La Salle has dropped both decisions by one-goal.
La Salle is coming off a 2-1 loss against Atlantic 10 Preseason favorite Fordham on September 18. The Explorers took an early lead thanks to a goal from sophomore Junior Nare. But Fordham equalized prior to halftime and scored the eventual game winner midway through the second to defeat the Explorers, 2-1.
Nare tops the team with three goals and six points followed by Nigel Buckley with two goals and one assist for five points.
The Explorers finished 5-5-1 overall and 2-3-1 last season, as the league played during the spring semester due to COVID-19. La Salle was third in the North Division, with the league split into three regional divisions.
Nare returns after leading the team with eight points as a freshman and forward Omari Cotterell is back in the lineup as well after earning all-conference honors in the Spring.
The Explorers were selected to finish ninth out of 13 teams in the Preseason Atlantic 10 Preseason Coaches Poll.
Next Up
NJIT will take to the road and play a pair of America East Conference matches at Albany on September 25 and at defending America East Champions New Hampshire on October 1, who are currently 7-0 on the season and ranked No. 9 in the latest United Soccer Coaches Poll.
Stay Connected
Stay up to date during the NJIT Men's soccer season by following @NJITSoccer on Twitter and Instagram and liking the NJIT Men's Soccer page on Facebook.
