CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- The NJIT women's soccer team will play the highest-ranked opponent in program history Sunday afternoon when the Highlanders take on No. 7 North Carolina at Dorrance Field at Play2Dream Legacy Stadium. 

The game will be broadcast on ACC Network Extra (ACCNX) with a 1:00pm start time.  

Coming off its best performance of the season in Thursday's 3-0 win over LIU in Newark, NJIT heads to the Tar Heel State to take on UNC for the first time ever, and will be playing an Atlantic Coast Conference opponent for only the second time in program history. 

NJIT's lone ACC showdown came in 2021 when the Highlanders fell to Pittsburgh. Sunday is also just the fifth time NJIT has matched up with a power conference opponent; twice and most recently, the Highlanders have played Rutgers (2025, 2024) in addition to Pittsburgh (2021) and Maryland (2019). 

Last Time Out
NJIT posted the most shots in a game of any America East Conference team this season (27) in a 3-0 victory over LIU Thursday afternoon before leaving for North Carolina. A scoreless game at the half, Kirra Hyder scored unassisted in the 48th minute to break the ice. Paige Eckert added her second goal of the season in the 80th, and Brianna Garyah netted her first-career collegiate goal to ice the game in the 85th.

The Highlanders erupted for 19 of their 27 total shots in the second half. 

Goalkeepers Penelope Krieger and Kaele Smith combined to make eight saves in the shutout. 

With their second half goals, Eckert and Hyder moved into a three-way tie for the team lead in goals (2) with freshman Taylor Stuart. 

Eckert, also a freshman, leads the team in points (6) on the power of two goals and two assists. Stuart leads the team in shots on goal (8) and is third in the America East Conference in the category. 

Scouting North Carolina
NJIT has never faced a ranked opponent in its Division I era (2006), but that will change Sunday afternoon. 

North Carolina enters the match ranked No. 7 in the United Soccer Coaches poll. The Tar Heels' ACC is the consensus top conference in the nation for women's soccer, with five teams inside the Top 10, including No. 1 Stanford. 

North Carolina is averaging 3.14 goals-per-game this season while allowing opponents to 0.57. The Tar Heels have outscored opponents, 22-4, this season, and are coming off a 3-0 ACC-opening win over California on Thursday. 

Bella Devey (7) and Summer Denigan (6) account for more than half of the Tar Heels' goals, while eight total players have found the net this year. 

In goal, Peyton Trayer has played the lion's share of minutes and has made eight saves to four goals conceded among 25 total shots faced. 

Before Sunday, the closest NJIT has come to playing a ranked opponent came in its other previous ACC showdown, when Pitt received votes at the time of their game in 2021.

Next Time Out
Sunday is the Highlanders' final tune-up before America East Conference play commences. The Highlanders will take on New Hampshire at home next Sunday to open up the conference slate. It will also be Senior Day for NJIT. 

Follow the Highlanders
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