Post Game Interview and Goal Highlights

HILLSIDE, NJ—The NJIT women's soccer team won its fourth straight match of the season with a 3-1 victory over visiting Rider Sunday afternoon at Kean University's East Campus Facility.

The four straight wins sets a new program record (all Divisions) as the Highlanders, 4-3 on the season, move above .500.  The visiting Broncs, still in search of its first win of the 2017 campaign fall to 0-6.

The Highlanders held a 1-0 lead heading into halftime on a goal by Briana Hackos in the 32^nd minute.  The visiting Broncs knotted the contest at 1-1 after a goal by Kourtney Cunningham in the 75^th minute.

NJIT scored a pair of goals with five minutes remaining in the contest by freshman Katrina Nguyen-DeMary and junior co-captain Arianna Gerber to earn the 3-1 victory.

The Highlanders edged the Broncs, 17-11, in total shots and shots on goal, 10-4, while both team were even with six corner kicks.

Rider started off the contest with two dangerous, scoring opportunities in the opening two minutes with a pass that slipped through the NJIT defense but saved by senior keeper Amelia Sapirman and a chip shot over the cross bar by Ellie Smith went high.

In the fifth minute, NJIT's Nicole Baldassini's right-footed shot curled wide for the first shot of the game for the Highlanders.

Rider's Cunningham's shot from the top of the arc in the ninth minute was saved by Sapirman.

Baldassini got off her second shot of the game, a left footed one bouncer save by Rider's Carmen Carbonell.

An opportunity for NJIT to score in the first half on a give-and-go from graduate student Carly Berdan to junior forward Neema Liverpool but Rider goalkeeper Carmen Carbonell made a diving save on a collision between the two players at the six yard mark.

NJIT sophomore Briana Hackos tapped in a rebound for the first goal of the game off a corner kick by junior Noelle Batista after the initial punch out save by Rider's backup goalkeeper Amy Kozlowski.  Hackos notched her second goal of the season.

Another dangerous scoring opportunity for the Highlanders came in the 42^nd minute, after Liverpool led Gerber with a pass down the left side, who then crossed the ball into the box where freshman Carlitah Cortina's shot went high and left, nearly doubling the Highlander lead.

Cortina, who nearly scored to end the first half for NJIT, chipped a shot in the first minute of the second half to the near post to the right.

Cunnigham made a run into the box in the 49^th minute, but her shot sailed high.  A minute later, she nearly got the Broncs on the board, gaining a step on the Highlander defense, chipping a shot high over the cross bar.

Rider scored the equalizer in the 75^th minute unassisted on a goal by Cunningham, who scored over a leaping Sapirman to far post, knotting game at 1-1.  The goal for Cunningham was her second of the season and the fourth for Rider as a team.

Under 10 minutes to play, NJIT combined for back-to-back opportunities to score on consecutive headers by Heckman and Berdan.

NJIT broke through with a 2-1 lead in the 85^th minute on a chip pass from Berdan inside the box to freshman Katrina Nguyen-DeMary, for her first collegiate goal.

An insurance goal for NJIT with 20 seconds remaining in the contest, credited to Gerber sealed the win for the Highlanders.  After a mis-communication between the Rider defense and goalkeeper, the ball slipped past Koslowksy and rolled over the goal line before a diving Koslowsky could make the stop.

NJIT will return to action on September 15 at Wagner.  Kickoff is slated for 7pm.