Game 11	NJIT (2-5-3) at Villanova (3-4-3)
Date | Time	Tuesday, October 7 | 3pm
Team Rosters	NJIT | Villanova
Location | Field	Villanova, PA | Higgins Soccer Complex
All-Time Series	Tied 1-1
Live Stats	In-game statistics (free)
Live Video	ESPN+

NEWARK, NJ–The NJIT men's soccer team will hit the road for three consecutive on the road, beginning with Villanova on Tuesday.

Game Information
Tuesday's match is slated for 3pm. The match will be streamed live on ESPN+ with in-game statistics available on Villanova.com. 

All-Time Series
Tuesday will mark the third all-time meeting between the two schools.  The Highlanders defeated the Wildcats 4-1 in Newark in 2023 while Villanova took the first meeting in 2022, 4-0, in Philadelphia.

Last Time Out
The NJIT men's soccer team battled with No. 4 Vermont, dropping a 2-1 loss on Saturday evening in America East Conference men's soccer action inside Lubetkin Field at Mal Simon Stadium.

NJIT junior Jake Rubis scored a late goal for the Highlanders in the final minute of the match. Armstrong served the ball to the top of the box and Martinez Cubel flicked the ball with the back of his head to Rubis who was able to beat the Vermont goalkeeper with a shot to the bottom left from the top of the six.

Devin Armstrong - NCAA Rankings
Senior Devin Armstrong combined for a personal-best 12 saves against No. 24 Cornell.  The 12 saves are the most by a Highlander goalkeeper since Collin Cunning combined for 13 saves at Maryland on October 26, 2005.  His 12 saves in a single-game ranks tied for second in the NCAA (as of 9/25/25).

Teams Ranked in the Top 25 on Highlander Schedule 
Aug. 28 vs. UConn | T, 1-1*
Sept. 20 at No. 24 Cornell | L, 1-3
Oct. 4 vs. No. 4 Vermont | 6pm | L, 1-2
Oct. 31 at No. 5 Bryant | 6pm
*Currently ranked No. 22 in the latest rankings

News & Notes
–The Highlanders, 2-5-3 overall, are coming off a 2-1 loss in the America East Conference action against No. 4 Vermont, the defending National Champions.
–The win at CCSU was the first win on the road this season for the Highlanders.
–NJIT picked up its first win in 2025 on Sept. 6 in a 1-0 home victory over Rider.  Sergio Martinez Cubel scored the lone goal and goalkeeper Devin Armstrong combined for the clean sheet.
–The Highlanders started out the season dropping its first two games – at Loyola (MD) and at FDU but picked up a 0-0 draw against UConn on August 28 in front of a sellout crowd.
–Four different Highlanders have registered one goal this season while Sergio Martinez Cubel paced the team with two assists and four points.
–Highlander keeper Devin Armstrong leads the America East in saves (46) and ranks second in saves per game (4.60) and tied for first in shutouts (4)
–Head coach Fernando Barboto begins his 10th season at NJIT after guiding the 2024 Highlanders to its fifth straight America East Tournament appearance.
–The Highlanders have welcomed 10 newcomers to the 2025 roster.
–America East All-Championship team selection Sergio Martinez Cubel returns as the Highlanders top goal scorer. Three out of four goals in 2024 came on penalty kicks, all three being successful.
–Devin Armstrong, the Highlander keeper, played and started in 17 matches last season after transferring in from Wake Forest (2022-23) and Akron (January 2024), combining for a 6-7-4 overall mark, 60 saves, a 1.51 goals against average and a pair of shutouts.  He posted a personal-best nine saves at Vermont.  Armstrong ranked fourth in the league in saves per game (3.53).
–Alvaro Heredia combined for a pair of goals and assists for six points.
–NJIT was voted to finish fifth in the 2025 America East Preseason Coaches Poll

Scouting the Wildcats
–Villanova enters Tuesday's contest with a 3-4-3 overall record and its coming off a 5-0 loss at Providence.
–The three wins for the Wildcats have come against Rider (5-0), Saint Joseph's (1-0) and then-ranked No. 22 UConn (2-1).  NJIT played UConn to a 1-1 draw in Newark on August 28.
–Leading the Wildcat offense is Sam Nyenka with three goals and six points followed by Fynn Lahrsen with two goals, one assist for five points.
–Eleven newcomers join the Wildcats in 2025 after a 1-10-6 overall mark in 2024.

Up Next
NJIT will continue its road swing and travel to Binghamton on October 11 for a 1pm kickoff on ESPN+.

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