VIDEO: NJIT Highlights vs. Bryant
VIDEO: Post Game Interview with head coach Fernando Barboto
NEWARK, NJ–The NJIT men's soccer team registered a 4-0 home shutout against visiting Bryant on Senior Night in the regular season finale in America East Conference action at Lubetkin Field at Mal Simon Stadium.
In pregame ceremonies, NJIT honored its 10 graduating seniors – fifth-year seniors Luc Smith, J.J. Gaeir, graduate students Anthony Rovito and Jose Del Valle and seniors Alejandro Rabell, Samuel Reisgys, Jose Adames, Arrio Rusnak, Andreas Nicolaou and Eduardo Rossi.
With the home victory over Bryant and New Hampshire's 3-0 win over UMass Lowell, NJIT has secured a spot in the 2022 America East Conference Men's Soccer Postseason Tournament.
The Highlanders pick up its first America East Conference victory of the season, improving to 5-7-4 overall, 1-4-2 in the league while Bryant concludes its season with a 3-10-1 overall mark and 0-6-1 record in their first season in the America East.
Four freshmen accounted for the Highlanders goals: Hugo Tavares (35'), Jackson Gould (57'), Enrique Mutsoli (59') and Joseph Davis (76'). Senior Alejandro Rabell combined for a pair of assists while classmate Samuel Reisgys recorded the clean sheet, stopping two Bulldog shots.
FROM THE COACH
"I think the freshman brought a lot of energy and they did great -- that is the future of the program," seventh-year head coach Fernando Barboto commented in post game. "You don't plan to start six freshman but with that being said, that is where we are at and there is a bright future. Nothing is impossible in soccer -- confidence and feeling good about yourself allows you to be in a better position to score goals...always. And I think coming out of this game we will have that feeling. We have to recover, there was a lot of emotion from Senior Day and that causes fatigue. Let's enjoy the win and our third straight postseason berth and tomorrow we will start recovering."
HOW IT HAPPENED
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An early opportunity for NJIT in the 14th minute on a header by Alejandro Rabell, saved by Bryant's Luca Marinelli.
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In the 25th minute, NJIT had a 3-on-3 opportunity as Jackson Gould carried the ball up the middle of the field, passing off to Rabell on the right side of the penalty area back to Gould inside the box whose shot sailed wide left.
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Hugo Tavares put the Highlanders ahead, 1-0, in the 35th minute, collecting the rebound in front of the net off Rabell's original shot for the lead.
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Highlander goalkeeper Samuel Reisgys, standing 6-foot-3, stretched out and went up to make a save in the 52nd minute on a chip shot by Jadien Willems.
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Freshman Jackson Gould scored the second goal of the match for NJIT inside the penalty area, floating the ball across, finding the inside of the far post for a 2-0 advantage in the 57th minute.
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Two minutes later, Rabell carried the ball up the wing and crossed the ball into the center of the penalty area to Enrique Mutsoli who tucked home the third goal of the match for NJIT.
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In the 76th minute, Joseph Davis put NJIT ahead, 4-0, carrying the ball to the middle of the field, blasting the ball past a diving Bryant keeper.
NOTEWORTHY
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Tavares scored for the second straight match and now has three goals on the season.
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Rabell's assist on the Tavares goal moved Rabell into first in the NJIT Division I era record books. Rabell was credited with a second assist on Mutsoli's goal and has now set a new NJIT Division I career assists mark with 19.
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Freshman Jackson Gould, Enrique Mutsoli and Joseph Davis each scored their first collegiate goal.
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For Reisgys career, he has recorded 22 wins, eight shutouts and 235 career saves, which is the NJIT career record.
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The four goals ties the Highlanders season mark (four goals in a 4-0 win against Hartford on October 18).
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NJIT had a huge advantage in overall shots – 20-6.
NEXT UP
NJIT, the No. 6 seed in the America East Conference Tournament will visit No. 3 seed UAlbany on Saturday, November 5. Kickoff is slated for 4pm. In the regular season, the Great Danes scored in the final minute of action in Newark on October 22, defeating the Highlanders 1-0. Last season in the 2021 America East Conference Tournament, NJIT upset third-seeded UAlbany, 2-1, to advance to the semifinals.
