NJIT Highlights at Loyola
BALTIMORE, MD—Sophomore Hugo Tavares scored his second goal of the season as NJIT earned a hard-fought draw against Loyola Tuesday evening in non-conference men's soccer action at Ridley Athletic Complex.
NJIT, coming off a 4-1 home victory over Villanova last Thursday, moves to 1-2-1 on the young season while Loyola, still in search of its first win of the season, stands at 0-1-3 overall.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- The Highlanders built a 1-0 lead in the 18th minute on what was originally scored as an own goal. Justin Aguirre-Rosas received a pass from Ramchwy St. Vil, and served the ball into the middle of the box. Tavares headed the ball which was deflected off a Loyola defender's head and into the goal. The official scoring was changed and Tavares was credited with the goal.
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Kendell Thomas' left-footed strike in the 44th minute was punched out by Loyola's keeper Dylan van der Walt.
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After the first 45 minutes, NJIT held a slight 3-2 edge in overall shots (2-0 SOG)
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Loyola's Jahvar Stephenson blasted a shot in the 51st minute to the right of the frame.
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Reigning America East Offensive Player of the Week Goncalo Franco nearly made the score 2-0 in the 64th minute. A serve from Maximus Barboto was just too far out of reach for a sliding Franco.
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Highlander goalkeeper Samuel Reisgys kept Loyola off the board with a one-arm save on a close shot by Danilo Seglio in the 65th minute.
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Another chance for the Highlanders to go up 2-0 came in the 71st minute on a long serve into the box by Barboto off a corner kick. Tavares headed down a shot which was saved by the Loyola keeper and collected by Andrea Campoli whose header was saved by a Loyola defender.
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Two minutes later, Loyola scored the equalizer (73rd minute) on a long serve over the Highlander defense. Sean McEvoy's header was saved by NJIT's Reisgys but the ball came loose and McEvoy's fired in the rebound knotted the match at 1-1.
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The Greyhounds van der Walt made a remarkable save in the 80th minute denying Alvaro Heredia at the doorstep.
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After 90 minutes, NJIT led 8-to-7 in overall shots (5-3 SOG); Both teams were even in corner kicks, 6-6.
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NJIT's Reisgys made two saves while Loyola's van der Walt combined for three saves in the 1-1 draw.
NOTEWORTHY
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The goal for Tavares is his second of the season (fifth of his young career).
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Aguirre-Rosas and St. Vil tallied their first assists of the 2023 season.
NEXT UP
NJIT will host five consecutive matches at home in Newark. The five-match home stretch begins on September 8 vs. Rider, September 12 vs. La Salle, September 16 vs. Sacred Heart, September 19 vs. Iona and September 23 vs. UMass Lowell, the first America East Conference match of the season.