ALBANY, NY–The NJIT men's soccer team closed out America East Conference action with a 1-0 road victory at UAlbany in the regular season finale for both teams Tuesday evening at Bob Ford Field at Tom & Mary Casey Stadium.
With the win, NJIT picks up its first road victory of the season, improving to 6-7-4, 3-2-2 in the America East. The Highlanders will be the No. 5 seed in the 2023 America East Conference Men's Soccer Postseason Tournament and will visit No. 4 Vermont on Saturday, November 4 at 3pm.
Earlier this season, NJIT upset then-ranked No. 15 Vermont on October 7, 1-0, for the program's first win over a United Soccer Coaches top-25 team since 2015.
Sergio Martinez Cubel broke the scoreless tie in the 79th minute on a penalty kick. The sophomore from Spain shot was tucked away to the left side past a diving Great Dane goalkeeper to put NJIT up 1-0. The goal by Martinez Cubel was his second of the season.
Graduate student Samuel Reisgys combined for the shutout and made six saves in the 1-0 win. Reisgys, from Rimbach, Germany, played in his 75th career match, which ties the NJIT Division I record with alum Rene White '21.
How It Happened
In the ninth minute of action, Samuel Reisgys stretched and used a left-handed punch out on a shot by Alex Pechacek to keep the Great Danes off the board.
NJIT's Sergio Martinez Cubel had an opportunity to score in the 31st minute but the shot missed high and one minute later Justin Aguirre-Rosas sent the ball into the box where Highlander Asembo Augo was in the right position but Great Dane keeper Daniel Shannon made the save.
UAlbany's Tiago Davis' running header in the 36th minute off a corner kick went off the near side post.
The Great Danes held a slight advantage in overall shots through the first 45 minutes, 4-3. NJIT's Hugo Tavares, Aguirre-Rosas and Martinez Cubel each notched one shot.
Reisgys made a pair of saves in goal in the first half.
On the first corner kick of the match for the Highlanders in the 50th minute, Andrea Campoli's header missed left after the serve into the box.
The Great Danes had a pair of opportunities to get on the board, first coming in the 56th minute on a low strike by Riley Liston and on a header by Santiago Frias in the 58th minute that went over the crossbar.
NJIT's Reisgys registered consecutive saves in the 67th minute off shots from Timo Jansen and Piet Wesling.
Martinez Cubel created separation with the Great Dane defender in the 75th minute, firing a curved shot which stayed wide left.
Martinez Cubel broke the scoreless tie in the 79th minute on a penalty kick. The sophomore from Spain shot was tucked away to the left side past a diving Great Dane goalkeeper to put NJIT up 1-0.
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