BALTIMORE — The NJIT women's soccer team rallied from an early first half deficit to pick up a crucial 2-1 America East victory against the UMBC Retrievers Thursday evening at Retriever Soccer Park.

NJIT found itself down halftime through the first period (23') after a ball from just outside the box deflected off a driving Samantha Constantine and to the foot of an open UMBC attacker for a fairly open net goal. 

The Highlanders kept bringing the fight to the Retrievers where they could - overall, NJIT outshot UMBC 7-3 in the first 45 minutes of the match - and earned the equalizer in the 39th minute. Bailey Chant hit an excellent corner from the lower right side of the field that forced UMBC's goalkeeper to attempt to intercept it. The keeper couldn't handle the ball and the resulting deflection fell right to the head of Madison Taibl.

NJIT had two great chances to score a go-ahead goal in the 66th minute from a perfectly placed through ball by Kelsey Ramos but Maria Nogueira's first shot was saved by UMBC's keeper and Nogueira's follow-up was cleared off the line by a UMBC defender. 

In the 83rd minute, the Highlanders wouldn't let a golden opportunity slip away again.

After retaining possession on a Riley Jones free kick, NJIT found itself along the left wing about 25 yards away. Gabby Zalot played Caroline Caputo's deflected cross into the box, where a UMBC defender headed it back toward goal, Briana Andreoli got a left foot on the ball to send it to the right, and Chant tapped the ball home with a flick from an awkward angle to put away the eventual game winner.

NJIT dominated the total stats, nearly doubling UMBC's shot total (14-8), more than doubling their shots on goal (7-3), producing two more corners (6-4), and most importantly, securing all three conference points.

OTHER NOTES

• Tonight's match was the fifth time in her career - and second this season - that Chant has logged at least one goal and one assist in a match. She pulled off the feat last in the win over LIU on August 31.
• After not scoring in her first four years (42 matches) at NJIT, Taibl has logged two goals and an assist in ten games played in 2023.
• NJIT's goal distribution currently sits at 19 goals by 13 different players. The most diverse offensive season in Division I program history (since 2006) came last year when 14 different players scored the team's 22 goals across 19 games.
• It has been 18 contests (regular season and playoffs) since NJIT lost back-to-back contests, dating back to last season.
• The win evens the all-time series between NJIT and UMBC at 2-2-2. The Highlanders have won the first (3-2 in OT on September 16, 2018 - before NJIT joined the America East) and this most recent matchup as conference foes.
• The formula for NJIT victory seems to be: shut out or rally. The Highlanders' first two wins of the year were clean sheets and the last two were comeback triumphs.

NEXT UP
NJIT will take a break from AE play to wrap up its non-conference slate with a match against George Washington on Wednesday, October 4 at 7 p.m. in Newark.

Take a look at both goals from tonight's win over UMBC! ⚽⚽ https://t.co/SKl523LDrY pic.twitter.com/49nwGzdOro

— NJIT Women's Soccer (@NJITWSoccer) September 29, 2023