NEWARK, NJ–NJIT men's soccer will visit Villanova for a midweek non-conference match on Wednesday, September 14.
Game Information
The match is set to kickoff at 4pm at Higgins Sports Complex. The match will be streamed live on FloSports ($$) and in-game statistics will be available for free at Villanova.com.
All-Time Series
Wednesday will mark the first all-time meeting between the two schools. Earlier this season, NJIT faced UConn from the Big East, marking the first all-time meeting.
Last Time Out
Visiting NJIT capitalized on an own goal by La Salle to win 1-0 Saturday evening in men's soccer non-conference action at McCarthy Stadium. After 40 minutes of scoreless soccer, NJIT struck in the 43rd minute on a free kick just outside the box. Freshman Sergio Martinez Cubel's strike hit off the head of a LaSalle defender into the box and an Explorer miscue by the backline put the Highlanders ahead, 1-0, on an own goal.
Highlander keeper Samuel Reisgys registered his second clean sheet of the season. Reisgys combined for two saves, extending his career mark total to 201 saves. Currently, Reisgys ranks second all-time in the NJIT DI era (behind Victor Pujades (2016-19) with 206 career saves).
NJIT Notes
NJIT's Fernando Barboto enters his seventh season at the helm of the Highlanders.
In 2019, Barboto guided the NJIT men's soccer program in capturing the ASUN Tournament and Regular Season title. The 2019 ASUN Conference Coach of the Year along with his coaching staff, who was named United Soccer Coaches Atlantic Region Coaching Staff of the Year, led the Highlanders to the first NCAA appearance at the Division I level (first round; at Providence on November 21, 2019).
Under Barboto, the Highlanders have made postseason appearances in five-out-of-six seasons (2021, 2020 in AE; 2019, 2018, 2017 in the ASUN Tournament).
The 32-man roster consists of 18 returners from the America East semifinals team and 13 newcomers.
Sophomore Goncalo Franco is the lone Highlander returning for the 2022 season who earned 2021 America East All-Conference accolades (All-Rookie Team).
Franco and sophomore Asembo Augo pace the Highlanders with a pair of goals on the season while freshman Maximus Barboto leads NJIT with three assists, combining for an assist in the last three out of four matches. Barboto, the reigning America East Conference Rookie of the Week, also earned America East Conference Rookie of the Week on August 29.
2022 Captains
NJIT head men's soccer coach Fernando Barboto has announced senior goalkeeper Samuel Reisgys and Franco, NJIT's midfielder, as team captains to lead the Highlanders in the 2022 season.
Reisgys was named to the 2021 America East All-Academic team, starting every match (18) but one while Franco was selected to the America East All-Rookie team, netting a pair of goals in his first season at NJIT.
America East Conference
This will also be NJIT's third season in the America East after the school joined the league in July 2020. However, it will be the Highlanders' first AE campaign after a proper offseason (2020 was played in Spring 2021 due to COVID and 2021 was played the following fall). The Highlanders were selected to finish fifth in the 2022 Preseason Coaches Poll.
Scouting Villanova
Villanova enters Wednesday's match with a 1-2-1 overall record, most recently dropping a 1-0 decision at Yale, which was decided in the 77th minute on September 11.
The Wildcats were selected sixth in the Preseason Big East Coaches Poll after finishing the season with a 12-8-1 overall record and reaching the second round of the 2021 NCAA Tournament. Villanova picked up a 1-0 win against America East foe Vermont in the first round of the Tournament a season ago.
Villanova registered its first win of the season, a 4-0 shutout at home against Northwestern on September 5 and combined for a 1-1 draw at University of California.
Next Up
NJIT will conclude its seven-match opening season road swing on Sunday, September 18 at Rider. Kickoff is slated for 4pm.
