NEWARK, NJ–The NJIT men's soccer team will conclude the short two-match road swing at Rider on September 14.

Game Information 
Saturday's match is slated for 7:00pm at Ben Cohen Field on the campus of Rider.. The match will be streamed live on ESPN+ with in-game statistics available on GoBroncs.com.

All-Time Series
Rider leads the all-time series, 4-2-5 overall.  The last three meetings were ties in double overtime and NJIT picked up a win in 2018, 1-0, in Lawrenceville.

Last Time Out
The NJIT men's soccer team battled for 90 minutes coming up short in a 1-0 road loss at Sacred Heart Tuesday evening in non-conference action at Park Ave Field.

First Win of 2024
Three different players scored their first goals in an NJIT men's soccer uniform Monday evening as the Highlanders registered a 3-0 shutout victory on the road at La Salle.

A pair of transfers – Raz Amir and Sokol Ymeraj scored the first two goals, while freshman Andrew Araya scored his first collegiate goal in the second half.  

Araya, Cubel and Giovanni Massacesi tallied their first collegiate assist while freshman goalkeeper Evan Chomow made his college debut, recording the shutout and stopping six saves in 72 minutes of action.

News & Notes
–Head coach Fernando Barboto begins his ninth season at NJIT after guiding the 2023 Highlanders to its fourth straight America East Tournament appearance and third America East semifinals, finishing with an overall record of 7-8-4 overall record, 3-2-2 in the America East.
–NJIT recorded two wins over nationally ranked Vermont last season – upset No. 15 Vermont (Oct. 7), the first time defeating a ranked team since 2015 and took down No. 14 Vermont, 2-1, for a second time in the same season in the 2023 #AEMSOC Quarterfinals.
–America East second team selection Alvaro Heredia returns as the Highlanders top goal scorer from a season ago (5G, 2A)
–Co-captain Goncalo Franco ranked tied for third on the team (3G)
–There will be a new face in goal for the Highlanders after Samuel Reisgys, a three-time America East All-Academic team honoree concluded his five-year career at NJIT as the Highlanders all-time career saves leader with 304 career saves and played in his 78 career matches, which is a new NJIT DI career mark.
–NJIT features three goalkeepers on the 2024 roster: Devin Armstrong (transfer from Akron/Wake Forest), Sebastian Ibanez (transfer from Lincoln Memorial) and a true freshman Evan Chomow.
–Fifteen newcomers joined the Highlanders in 2024 (eight transfers and seven freshman)
–NJIT was voted to finish fifth in the 2024 America East Preseason Coaches Poll

Armstrong and Araya Earn America East Conference Men's Soccer Weekly Awards
Devin Armstrong has been selected America East Conference Defensive Player of the Week while Andrew Araya tabbed his second consecutive America East Conference Rookie of the Week honor.  

Armstrong earned his first Defensive Player of the Week award of his career, stopping four saves in a 4-0 shutout over Saint Peter's on Saturday evening.  

Araya, the reigning America East Conference Rookie of the Week, picks up his second weekly award, scoring the Highlanders final goal in the 4-0 home win against Saint Peter's.

First Career America East Co-Offensive Player of the Week for Sergio Martinez Cubel
Martinez Cubel, the 5-foot-8 midfielder from Sedavi, Spain, tabbed his first career America East Conference weekly honor on August 26. 

Martinez Cubel scored the equalizer in the 81st minute on a penalty kick in the 2024 home opener against visiting Loyola Maryland on August 22.  The goal was the first of the season and third of the career.

Scouting Rider
Rider enters Saturday's contest on a three-game win streak, most recently blanking George Washington, 4-0, on September 7.

The Broncs opened the 2024 season at #13 Virginia and traveled to Lehigh, before winning three in a row against Stony Brook, Saint Joseph's and GW.

Midfielder Momo Diop received an Honorable Mention on the Top Drawer Soccer National Team of the Week after scoring three goals in Rider's 2-0 week.  The 2023 All-MAAC first team selection scored one goal in the win over Saint Joseph's and two in the 4-0 road win at GW.

The defending MAAC Champion has been picked second in the MAAC Preseason Coaches Poll and Diophas been selected Preseason All-MAAC.

Diop and Brian Akongo pace the Broncs' with three goals each while Akongo tallied one assist to go along with the three goals for seven points.

Next Up
NJIT will return home and play the next three out of four matches at Lubetkin Field at Mal Simon Stadium.  NJIT will welcome CCSU on September 18 at 7pm.

Stay Connected
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