NEWARK, N.J. — NJIT Women's Soccer (2-4-5, 0-1-1 AE) hits the road on Thursday afternoon for an America East matchup against the Binghamton Bears (4-4-2, 1-0 AE).

LAST TIME OUT 
NJIT's first America East home contest of the season on September 25 against New Hampshire ended in a 2-1 defeat for the Highlanders. Senior Bailey Chant's first goal of the year tied the match at 1-1 in the 51st minute but UNH would score the eventual game-winner in the 87th minute.

NEWS AND NOTES TO KNOW
5: After earning the No. 3 seed and hosting the first-ever America East Tournament home game in NJIT history in 2021, the Highlanders were voted to finish tied for this year's Preseason Poll by the league's head coaches.

The draw against Maine was also NJIT's fifth of the season, extending its new school record for ties in a season.\

7: With her goal against UNH, Chant matched team Lauren Chamberlain for the program lead in career goals among active players (seven each). 

11, 5, 6, 3: The Highlanders have scored 11 goals so far this year - five have come from headers, six have been assisted, and three have been headers assisted by Aleesha Deshmukh, including Sydney Watson's goal against Wagner on August 31.

19: Saylor registered her 19th career shutout against Maine, extending her NJIT school record and placing her tied for 28th nationally as of Thursday.

3: NJIT remained unbeaten against Maine in their three meetings with its draw on September 18 (1-0-2 all-time).

523:03: Time in minutes of NJIT's shutout streak in America East regular season action, starting from NJIT's match at UMBC last season (October 14) and ending with UNH's first goal on September 25.

21: The goal differential between NJIT (21) and Saint Peter's (0) in their last five contests - all NJIT shutout victories - under head coach Ally Nick.

313: The number of saves Saylor has made in her career, making her one of only three Highlanders - Sadie Mele (437) and Samantha Bersett (363) - that have eclipsed the 300 save plateau in NJIT history. Her total places her sixth in the NCAA in career saves among active players as of Saturday.

9: The number of America East weekly awards NJIT Women's Soccer has won all-time after Saylor was named Defensive Player of the Week on August 29. She joined sophomore Ciara Adams (August 29, Offensive POTW) as award winners for 2022.

The draw with Drexel kept the program's overall unbeaten streak alive at nine games, dating back to last season's five-match run (3-0-2 to close the year). The nine-game stretch without a loss was the longest in program history.

605:32: The final length of NJIT's school record shutout streak that started with the final five games of 2021 and ended with St. John's first goal on August 21.

5: After Saylor's 14 saves against Drexel, she sits in the NJIT top-five for single game saves, behind Samantha Bersett (18 against Lipscomb on Oct. 24, 2015; 15 against Utah Valley on Oct. 5, 2012), Bruna Lotufo (15 vs IPFW on Aug. 31, 2006) and Ketsia Mesidor (15 vs Bridgeport on Sept. 17, 1997).

3: NJIT has scored multiple goals in three games this season after only doing so one time in 19 contests in 2021.

10: The Highlanders have had ten different goal scorers (Adams, Vito, Chamberlain, Ramos, Caminos, Watson, Caputo, O'Connor, Nogueira, Chant) in only 12 games, matching 2021's total, which was set over 19 contests.

4: The fourth tie of the year against Lafayette set a new program record for most in a season, passing the three NJIT posted in 2005, 2012, 2016 and 2019.

44: The difference between the number of career games it took for Caminos (46) and Ramos (2) to net their first career goals against St. John's.

4: In the season opener, NJIT held LIU's offensive attack in check, only allowing the Sharks to register four total shots. The last time the Highlander defense conceded four shots or fewer in a victory was against Wagner on Sept. 2, 2021 (1-0 win, four shots allowed).

7: Head coach Ally Nick is in her seventh season as head coach of the Highlanders. Nick compiled a 42-46-11 (17-24-4 conference) record in six seasons prior to 2022, including three conference tournament appearances in six years (2018-19 ASUN, 2021 AE)

30: NJIT is running with a 30-woman roster consisting of: 21 returners from last season's America East quarterfinal team, eight freshmen and transfer Lily Bray.

3: Three returners from 2021 were honored by the America East last season: Redshirt senior Molly Saylor (Second Team All-AE, AE All-Academic), Fifth Year Siani Magruder (Second Team All-AE, AE All-Championship Team), and sophomore Caroline Caputo (AE All-Rookie Team)

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). 

7: This year's roster hails from seven different places (five states, two countries): New Jersey (16 players), Pennsylvania (5), Virginia (4), New York (2), North Carolina, New Zealand, and Portugal.

2: A pair of successful local coaches joined Coach Nick's staff for the 2022 campaign. Ariana Ruela (former head coach at Rutgers-Newark) and Graeham Gotrell (former Montclair State women's and men's soccer assistant coach) were hired this summer after the departures of longtime assistants Mary Hearin (Delaware) and Chris Duggan (Princeton)

60: Sixty percent of NJIT's offense from 2021 is back on the pitch this season. Bailey Chant is the Highlanders' leading returning scorer (3 G, 2 A) while six other players registered a goal last season (Angela Harris, Ciara Adams, Aleesha Deshmukh, Briana Ramirez, Emma Bitar, Taylor Pape).

2022 STATS LEADERS (AE RANK)
Goals: Ciara Adams - 2 (15th)
Assists: Aleesha Deshmukh - 3 (T-1st)
Points: Adams/Lauren Chamberlain - 4
Shots: Chamberlain/Caroline Caputo- 11
Saves: Molly Saylor - 64 (1st)
Saves/Game: Molly Saylor - 5.82 (1st)
Shutouts: Molly Saylor - 5 (T-1st)
Shutouts/Game: Molly Saylor - .455 (T-1st)
GAA: Saylor - 1.091 (T-2nd)

SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
NJIT will be looking for its first-ever win over Binghamton after their four previous outings (0-4). The Highlanders were narrowly edged out in double overtime, 2-1, by the Bearcats in last year's meeting on October 10.

Binghamton enters Thursday with a 4-4-2 (1-0 AE) record after wins in their last two contests against Bryant (1-0 on Sept. 18) and Delaware State (5-2 on Sept. 24). The Bearcats are led by Maya Anand (6 G, 1 A), Peyton Gilmore (3 G, 2 A), and Kaitlyn Williams (593:12 mins, 1.52 GAA, 41 saves).

NEXT UP
NJIT kicks off its season-long three-game homestand on Sunday, October 2 at Noon against UMass Lowell.