NEWARK, N.J. --- NJIT Men's Lacrosse closes out its 2022 home schedule and celebrates its five seniors on Friday evening with a home matchup against UAlbany.
LAST TIME OUT
A hat trick from
Jack Bowie, three points from
Gavyn Willson and multi-point efforts from
Gage Adams and
Owen Corry were not enough to help the NJIT men's lacrosse team overcome the Binghamton Bearcats in their 18-8 defeat Tuesday afternoon at Lubetkin Field at Mal Simon Stadium.
The three-goal performance for Bowie was his first of the season and third of his career while Willson continued to add to his ledger with his fourth straight two-goal game, third straight with an assist and eighth straight with at least two points.
Adams recorded the seventh multi-point outing of his brief 11-game Highlander career while Corry extended his own point streak to eight in a row and 10-of-11 over the season. The Highlanders' (0-11, 0-4 AE) offense was rounded out by a goal by
Logan Hone and an assist from
Collin Fogerty.
Billy Kroeger led the defense and faceoff units with team highs of four ground balls and seven faceoff wins.
Liam Brown and
Yanni Kalas split goalkeeping duties evenly, with Brown making 11 stops and Kalas stopping four.
EVERYDAY IMPACT
Gavyn Willson has been the most consistent Highlander on the offensive side this season. Willson has recorded multiple points in all eight 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 9-of-11 games, multi points in 7-of-11) and
Owen Corry (at least one point in 10-of-11 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 third in save percentage (.533), second in saves per game (12.36) and fifth in goals against average (14.50). 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:
Gavyn Willson (13)
Assists: Willson (10)
Points: Willson (23)
Ground Balls:
Billy Kroeger (34)
Man-Up Goals: Willson (4)
Faceoff %: Kroeger (.547 | 76-139)
Shots:
Owen Corry (86)
SOG: Corry (40 | .465)
Caused Turnovers:
Lynch Raby (11)
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
UAlbany enters Friday's contest with a 3-2 record in its last five games, including a 14-12 nonconference win over Syracuse and a 14-6 loss against Vermont. The Great Danes are led by Graydon Hogg (18 G, 10 A), Camden Hay (15 G, 9 A), Jake Piseno (52 GB) and Tommy Heller (14.24 GAA, 63 saves).
NEXT UP
NJIT will conclude the regular season on the road next Friday (April 29) against UMBC.
