Men's Soccer Clinches ASUN Playoff Spot

October 23, 2016

TEANECK, NJ – Freshman goalkeeper Victor Pujades posted a season-high 10 saves in NJIT men's soccer 4-1 loss to Lipscomb Saturday at FDU Teaneck University Stadium.

Lipscomb (8-5-1, 3-2-0 ASUN), who is ranked 10th in the latest NSCAA South Region Poll, picked up its eighth win of the season with a 4-1 victory at NJIT (7-5-3, 3-2-0 ASUN), in which they outshot the Highlanders 19-5.

Despite the loss the Highlanders clinch a spot in the 2016 ASUN Conference Men's Soccer Tournament with losses by both USC Upstate and Stetson Saturday evening, who the Highlanders shutout head-to-head.

The ASUN Men's Soccer Tournament is played at campus sites. Six teams qualify, with the higher-seeded team hosting. When the field is reduced to four, those teams all play at the home field of the highest-seeded team remaining in the competition, with the champion advancing to the 2016 NCAA Men's College Cup.

The tournament begins on November 4 with the semifinals and finals scheduled to November 6 and November 12.

The Bisons scored all of their four goals in the first half, three of them with Lipscomb having an 11-10 advantage on the field due to a red card that was issued to Highlander Andy Alvarez in the 30th minute.

The first goal came from Ivan Sakou, when teammate Ivan Alvarado crossed him a ball into the box that he took a touch and shot it, getting a save by NJIT keeper Pujades but Pujades punch out redirected back at Sakou and hit off Sakou hard to end up in the back of the net.

Lipscomb's next three goals came in a three minute span starting in the 37th minute

Eduardo Reze started the scoring spree off a direct kick from right outside the box that he converted nicely into the upper right corner of the net.

A minute and a half later the Bison's Josue Chavez received a cross from Joe Kerridge that he one-timed into the bottom right corner.

Shortly after that in the 39th minute, Logan Paynter scored Lipscomb's final goal of the game, when the ball was misplayed by the defense and Paynter capitalized scoring his eighth goal of the season.

The Highlanders did not tally a shot in the first half, but picked up five in the second including a goal.

Senior Rickardo Oldham put NJIT on the board in the 74th minute when he scored off a penalty kick for his first goal of 2016.

Freshman Pujades posted a season-high 10 saves, and Bison keeper made two saves in his win.

NJIT will return to action on Wednesday, when the Highlanders travel to Jacksonville, Florida and visit ASUN opponent North Florida at 1pm.  The match was originally schedule for October 8 but was postponed due to Hurricane Matthew's path along the east coast of Florida.

NJIT will conclude its regular season with a non-conference match against St. Bonaventure on October 29 with a 2pm start at Kean University East Campus Facility in Hillside, NJ.

The Highlanders will recognize seven graduating seniors -- Nick Cipriano, Christian Foust, Nikola Gogic, and Victor Kausch, Marco Luna, Stephen McGeever and Rickardo Oldham prior to the match. Each fan in attendace will receive a senior day signed poster.
                                            

Trending Videos
 
IMG Academy Top 150 Rankings
see full ranking:
Boys Girls