NEWARK, NJ–After an eight day break, the NJIT men's soccer team returns back to action in Newark, welcoming nearby Saint Peter's on Saturday.
Game Information
Saturday's match is slated for 7:00pm at Lubetkin Field at Mal Simon Stadium on the campus of NJIT. The match will be streamed live on America East TV with in-game statistics available on NJITHighlanders.com.
All-Time Series
Saint Peter's leads the all-time series, 6-1, dating back to 2006 when the two teams first met. The last meeting between the two teams was on September 18, 2012, where the Highlanders registered its lone win against the Peacocks, 1-0, in double overtime.
Last Time Out
Visiting NJIT suffered its first loss of the 2024 season as UConn defeated the Highlanders, 2-1, in non-conference men's soccer action at Joseph J. Morrone Stadium at Rizza Performance Center on the campus of UConn.
After a video review on a ball that hit a UConn player's arm, Sergio Martinez Cubel, the reigning America East Conference Co-Offensive Player of the Week made it a one goal game, 2-1, tucking away his second goal of the season on a penalty kick in the 76th minute.
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
America East Rookie of the Week for Andrew Araya
In a 1-0-1 week for NJIT, Araya, a freshman from Ocean Township, NJ, combined for one goal and one assist for three points in the week.
The Highlanders midfielder scored his first collegiate goal of his young career and tallied his first career assist in NJIT's 3-0 shutout victory at La Salle on August 26.
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.
Freshman Keeper Evan Chomow
Chomow made his first collegiate appearance at La Salle (Aug. 26) after starting keeper Devin Armstrong left the game due to injury. He finished the game with six saves. The 6-foot-5 keeper from Green Township, NJ, made his first collegiate start against UConn (Aug. 29), stopping three Husky shots.
Scouting Saint Peter's
Saint Peter's, still in search of its first win of the 2024 campaign, enters Saturday's contest with a 0-3-1 overall record.
The Peacocks tied Villanova (2-2) to open the season and dropped its last three matches (at George Washington, 1-2; at UMass Lowell, 0-3; and at Delaware, 0-4).
Three players have scored one goal each through the first four games–Conlan Paventi, Kaloyan Somov and Tim Strele. Conlan paces the team with two assists.
A season ago, the Peacocks finished the season with a 2-9-5 overall mark, 1-6-3 in the MAAC.
Next Up
NJIT will play back-to-back matches on the road, first visiting Sacred Heart (Sept. 10) followed by Rider (Sept. 14).
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