NEWARK, N.J. --- NJIT Men's Lacrosse prepares for the final stretch of its regular season with a Tuesday matinee matchup against the Binghamton Bearcats.
LAST TIME OUT
In only the second-ever overtime game in program history, the NJIT men's lacrosse team put together an all-time performance but were narrowly edged by the Marist Red Foxes, 12-11, Tuesday evening at Tenney Stadium At Leonidoff Field. The Highlanders (0-10, 0-3 AE) carried the momentum from Saturday's matchup at Stony Brook into their non-conference finale with Marist (4-7, 2-1 MAAC) and put themselves in prime position to earn their first victory of the season but unfortunately came out on the other side of an instant classic.
The first career hat trick for sophomore
Garrett Muscatella paced the Highlanders as one of four players with three points in the game.
Gavyn Willson continued his personal streak with his seventh multi-point game in seven games played (2 G, 1 A tonight) while
Gage Adams matched WIllson's output for his third career multi-goal outing of his first season. Rounding out the quartet was
Collin Fogerty, who had a team-high two assists along with his goal.
Other scoring came courtesy of
Isaac Vanzomeren (1 G),
Arthur Miller (1 G),
Josh Failla (1 G) while
Logan Hone,
Will Labartino and
Owen Corry added NJIT's other assists.
Adams also added a team-best and career-high four ground balls as one of 14 Highlanders to register a pickup. Vanzomeren shared time with
Billy Kroeger at the faceoff and both players went . 500 on the day (8-16 and 5-10, respectively). NJIT was only able to cause three turnovers individually -
Teddy Grimley, Kroeger and
Lynch Raby earned one apiece.
OTHER NOTES FROM LAST GAME
- Liam Brown made 21 saves Tuesday night, matching his career high set against Lehigh on Feb. 22, 2020. Brown once again was one shy of Alexzander Hunt's school record of 22 against Delaware on February 16, 2019.
- The matchup was the second overtime game in NJIT history and first since the Highlanders played at UMass Lowell in a pre-America East contest on April 30, 2016 (won 7-6 by UML).
- NJIT scored double digit goals for the second straight game after not reaching that mark in the first eight games of 2022 or 13 games dating back to last season. The last time NJIT was able to put up consecutive games of 10+ goals was back in 2019 when the Highlanders posted four straight double-digit efforts against Wagner (11), at Manhattan (10), at Hampton (26) and at Siena (18).
EVERYDAY IMPACT
Gavyn Willson has been the most consistent Highlander on the offensive side this season. Willson has recorded multiple points in all five matchups he has played in - the only NJIT player to do so. The only other Highlanders approaching that level of consistency are
Gage Adams (points in 6-of-8 games, multi points in 5-of-8) and
Owen Corry (at least one point in 7-of-8 games).
ROOKIE STANDOUT
Adams' early season efforts earned him the first America East Rookie of the Week honor of 2022 on February 14. The Kirkland, WA native totaled seven points (4 G, 3 A) in the Highlanders' matchups at No. 16/19 Delaware (2 G, 2 A) and vs. No. 15 Lehigh (2 G, 1 A).
Adams' seven points were tied for the league lead with UMass Lowell's Colin Foley and his four goals shared the conference benchmark with Foley and Highlander teammate
Arthur Miller.
The honor is the second weekly award NJIT has received since joining the America East. Teammate
Owen Corry earned the first - Offensive Player of the Week - last season after leading the Highlanders to their first-ever league win at UMass Lowell.
THE BALL STOPS HERE
Liam Brown continues to rank near the top of the America East stats sheets for goalkeepers. Brown currently ranks second in save percentage (.541), second in saves per game (12.50) and fifth in goals against average (13.76). He also owns the top saves performance in the league (21 at Marist, Apr. 12) and two of the top three (20 vs Lehigh, Feb. 12)
FACEOFF TAKEOFF
Billy Kroeger's 20 faceoff wins against Delaware tied former Highlander Tyler Stevenson's school record for faceoff wins in a single game. Stevenson set the mark by going 20-26 at Lafayette on February 9, 2019. NJIT's 21 total faceoff wins (21-29) marked the first time the Highlanders corralled at least 20 faceoffs since the 2020 season opener against Hampton (2/1/2020; 20-33).
PUSHING THROUGH
In the midst of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, NJIT will look to complete a 13-game slate in its eighth year as a program and its second season as a member of the America East conference. The Highlanders will play five home games in its third season at Lubetkin Field at Mal Simon Stadium and travel for eight games.
DURING THE 2021-22 OFFSEASON
- Max Wilson was drafted 12th overall in the 2021 National Lacrosse League (NLL) Draft by the Halifax Thunderbirds.
- Eric Sherman was named an America East Winter Presidential Scholar Athlete as a student-athlete with a GPA of 3.75 or better.
- Associate Vice President/Director of Athletics Lenny Kaplan was added to the Board of Directors of the United State Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA).
- Head Coach Travis Johnson made changes to his coaching staff, elevating Blase Mantineo to lead assistant coach and hiring Cade Siddron to round out the staff.
2022 STATS LEADERS
Goals:
Gage Adams/
Gavyn Willson (11)
Assists: Willson (9)
Points: Willson (20)
Ground Balls:
Billy Kroeger (30)
Man-Up Goals: Willson (4)
Faceoff %: Kroeger (.543 | 69-127)
Shots:
Owen Corry (75)
SOG: Corry (36 | .480)
Caused Turnovers:
Teddy Grimley/
Lynch Raby (10)
TOP RETURNERS (2021 TOTALS)
Goals:
Owen Corry (19)
Assists:
Collin Fogerty (11)
Points: Fogerty (26)
Ground Balls:
Isaac Vanzomeren (43)
Man-Up Goals:
Jack Bowie (4)
Faceoff %: Vanzomeren (.466 | 90-193)
Shots: Corry (79)
SOG: Fogerty (38 | .481)
Caused Turnovers:
Lynch Raby (17)
THROUGH THE GAUNTLET
The Highlanders will once again take on a highly competitive schedule with the goal of preparing for the rigors of the America East season. Like 2021, NJIT's schedule includes five teams that at least received votes in the Preseason Inside Lacrosse or USILA/Dynamic poll:
- Delaware: No. 16 IL / No. 19 USILA
- Lehigh: No. 14/10
- Army West Point: No. 10/13
- Vermont: No. 17/15
- UAlbany: RV/RV
WORKING OUR WAY UP
NJIT was voted to finish sixth in the seven-team America East Men's Lacrosse Preseason Coaches Poll. With the conference's decision regarding Stony Brook's championship eligibility due to its pending departure for the CAA, the Highlanders will look to find their way into the top four of the remaining six teams eligible for the America East tournament and make a league tournament for the first time in program history.
2022 SCHEDULE NOTES
13 games scheduled - seven non-conference, six America East
First home game: February 12 vs Lehigh
First road game: February 5 at Delaware
First AE game (road): March 19 at Vermont
First AE home game: March 26 vs UMass Lowell
First time opponent: February 19 at Harvard
Senior Day: April 22 vs UAlbany
America East Playoffs: March 5-7
Longest Road Trip: February 19 - March 5 (Harvard, Army West Point, Wagner
Longest Home Stand: March 26 - April 2 (UMass Lowell, Binghamton)
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
Binghamton has split their last four contests, defeating UAlbany and UMBC before losing to No. 20 Lehigh and Stony Brook. The Bearcats are led by Kevin Winkoff (23 G, 13 A), Daniel MacKinney (17 G, 6 A), Matthew Desouza (43 GB, 88-162 FO), and Teddy Dolan (595:45 mins, 11.88 GAA, 132 saves).
NEXT UP
NJIT will wrap up their home schedule and celebrate its seniors on Friday, April 22 when the Highlanders host UAlbany. Gametime is scheduled for 6 p.m.
