NEWARK, N.J. — Despite one of its most dominant performances of the season in terms of creating opportunities, the NJIT women's soccer team found itself on the wrong end of a broken play that led to the Highlanders falling 1-0 to the UMBC Retrievers Thursday evening at Lubetkin Field at Mal Simon Stadium.

• Coming off the team's second 4-0 shutout of the year in the non-conference finale against Delaware State, NJIT (3-7-5, 0-4-1 AE) kept the offensive momentum going against UMBC (5-5-4, 1-2-2 AE). The Highlanders recorded their second-highest shot total of the year (20; NJIT took 31 shots vs DSU), its highest shot on goal tally of the year (14; no other game produced double digit on target shots), and its second-most corners (6; tied with UNH game, Sept. 25).
• Two of the Highlanders' best chances in the first half came off the foot of freshman Kelsey Ramos, who took back-to-back shots within the first 11 minutes that respectively forced a save by UMBC's Morgan McGruder and sailed just over the top of the crossbar.
• In the second half, NJIT had an excellent opportunity to break the 70-plus rainy stalemate but after a free kick from sophomore Aleesha Deshmukh reached the box, NJIT had at least two chances to score from in front of goal but could not do so. 
• Five minutes later (78'), UMBC would gain the lead in unfortunate fashion for NJIT. After starting a throw in from the left side, UMBC sent a ball into the box toward redshirt senior keeper Molly Saylor. However, the ball drifted over Saylor enough to bounce off junior Sydney waisting and into goal. 
• Freshman Briana Andreoli nearly willed the Highlanders back to even with a counter run that led to a strong chance from the right side but instead of an upper right goal, the shot hit the upper right of the crossbar.